Moore and more winning
- Updated: September 23, 2017
Moore, Nunnelly and both Pleasant Valley teams excel at inaugural Volunteer Spirit Classic
By East Alabama Sports Today
LINEVILLE – White Plains’ Jake Moore and Alexandria’s Abby Nunnelly won individual races and Pleasant Valley swept the team races in the Volunteer Spirit Classic on the new course at Clay Central.
Moore won the boys race wire-to-wire in 18:40.9 and Nunnelly won the girls race in 21:12.3.
“The course wasn’t too hard, but I have a great team that helps me train and pushes me to be the best I can be,” Moore said.
In the team races, Pleasant Valley boys’ pack finish produced 35 points, ahead of White Plains (56) and Alexandria (86). The PV girls placed their top five runners in the top 10 and produced 29 points, ahead of Alexandria (40) and White Plains (75).
The PV boys went out with a plan to finish together — at the risk of having to run the course again if their scorers didn’t finish within a second as a group — and it produced some comical results at the end.
The Raiders finished 5-6-7-8-9 between 19:35.8 and 19:37.8; their sixth man was 10th at 19:38.9. There was a lot of stopping and starting to keep them together and when it looked like one of their runners was going to sprint to wire and throw off the symmetry Matisse Miller reached out and pulled him back to the pack.
“It was a beautiful team unity type deal,” PV coach Brad Hood said. “They emptied their tank last week, I didn’t want them to empty it again today. This was more of a team building practice.”
The girls ran with a different strategy, although with the same stress-free pace. Rachel Faucett finished second ahead of teammate Trinity Roberts. Lindsey Pritchett was PV’s new fifth finisher and ran a personal best.
“Brad is really having fun with his team,” White Plains coach John Moore said. “They put on a show of domination today, very impressive. Any coach that doesn’t appreciate that is just bitter.
“I am equally impressed with my team and their determination. Of course, watching your son win a race is always a bonus.”
TCBY INVITATIONAL: Reed Robinson ran 18:15.73 and finished 16th overall to lead Oxford’s boys to a fifth-pace finish in the 4A-7A division of TCBY Invitational at Munny Sokol Parl in Tuscaloosa. The Yellow Jackets scored 160 points. Dylan Hulsey finished 20th (18:51.20).
Oxford’s girls finished fourth (153 points), with Tessa Ellison (23:54.34) and Mia Munoz (23:59.68) finishing 22nd and 23rd, respectively. All five of the Lady Jackets’ scorers finished in the top 40 counters and all seven of their runners were in the top 50 overall.
VOLUNTEER SPIRIT CLASSIC
At Clay Central, Lineville
BOYS RACE
Team scores: Pleasant Valley 35, White Plains 56, Alexandria 86, Opelika 107, Lincoln 135, Clay Central 154, St. Clair County 188, Faith Christian 197.
(Top 15 individuals)
Jake Moore, White Plains 18:40.9
Jaylon Hudson, Lincoln 18:58.6
Luis Rodriguez, Alexandria 19:25.9
Luke Larson, White Plains 19:32.0
Skyler Mcleod, Pleasant Valley 19:35.8
Coleman Haynes, Pleasant Valley 19:36.2
Matisse Miller, Pleasant Valley 19:36.3
Dekota Roberts, Pleasant Valley 19:37.2
Jacob Gladen, Pleasant Valley 19:37.8
Kaige Roberts, Pleasant Valley 19:38.9
Michael Geoffre Crisler, Opelika 20:00.1
Tykell Jones, Opelika 20:19.8
Cayden Nelson, White Plains 20:21.3
Adam Young, Alexandria 20:29.0
John Anthony Kritlow, Pleasant Valley 20:38.8
GIRLS RACE
Team scores: Pleasant Valley 29, Alexandria 40, White Plains 75, Opelika 115, Clay Central 137, Handley 156, Horseshoe Bend 200.
(Top 15 individuals)
Abby Nunnelly, Alexandria 21:12.3
Rachel Faucett, Pleasant Valley 22:10.4
Trinity Roberts, Pleasant Valley 22:14.1
Briar Poytress, White Plains 22:49.3
Savannah Karl, Opelika 23:12.4
Emma Hood, Pleasant Valley 23:28.7
Michaela Moore, Alexandria 23:31.7
Gracie Hood, Pleasant Valley 23:36.6
Destiny Heathcock, Alexandria 23:50.3
Lindsey Pritchett, Pleasant Valley 23:59.2
Sarah Kilgore, Alexandria 24:09.8
Michaela Watts, Alexandria 24:23.0
Madison Hill, Lincoln 24:32.2
Camden Wilson, White Plains 24:47.8
Juliana Ballew, Pleasant Valley 24:50.1
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