By Donald Heath
Special for the Effingham Herald
After spending much of the season in uncertainty, Effingham County’s Candace Kieffer will be entering the GHSA Class AAAAAA State Cross Country Championships on Saturday on a familiar roll.
The senior won her second straight Region 2-AAAAAA title Thursday by overtaking early leader Reese Wilson of Richmond Hill and dusting the field by 30 seconds on the College of Coastal Georgia course in Brunswick.
Kieffer relieved the source of some of her inner stress by recently announcing she would attend the University of Miami.
A few days later, she pulled away from a competitive field at a 10-team meet at Honey Ridge Plantation Oct. 21 to win her final regular-season meet.
“I just want to go into state more relaxed,” Kieffer said. “I want it to be fun because it will be my last high school cross country meet. Hopefully, that will lead to a good time”
In the boys portion of the region meet, South Effingham’s Tyler Phillips and Cailan Howard finished second and third, respectively.
The Mustangs boys and girls teams placed second to Richmond Hill. ECHS girls finished fourth in the seven-team region.
The top four teams and top six individuals from the region meet advanced to state in Carrollton.
The ECHS boys, who placed fifth in the seven-team region, fell just short.
Individually, senior Cheyenne Ryan was sixth to lead the SEHS girls. Senior Will Collins placed 24th to lead the Rebel boys.
SEHS coach Laura Soles said runners faced several challenges on a course only Brunswick High had run previously. A morning rain stopped before the 4 p.m. boys’ meet but left the course wet. The girls’ meet was an hour later.
Runners pointed out that roots on the course provided more obstacles, Soles said.
The last 200 yards also provided a challenge, transitioning from clay to wet, slippery grass.
But Kieffer wasn’t fazed en route to posting a 19:58, 30 seconds ahead of Richmond Hill’s Julia Wilson.
Kieffer said Reese Wilson appeared to be her biggest threat early on. Reese beat Kieffer in the two-mile run at region during the track and field season in the spring.
“It’s like a friendly competition,” Kieffer said. “Reese was a good bit ahead of me during the first mile (in the region cross country meet), but I started picking it up the second mile. ... I felt like I had to fight for this race a little more (than last year’s region race).”
Kieffer, who holds the school’s top six cross country times, placed 11th at state last season. Carrollton, with its hilly terrain, will provide another tough test.
“I’ve done some runs on hills so I feel like I’m somewhat prepared,” Kieffer said.
Here are the top five local runners at the Region 2-AAAAAA cross country meet in Brunswick.
For the SEHS boys: Tyler Phillips (16:18, second), Cailan Howard (16:21, third), Joey Burdick (17:56, 11th), Caiden Mason (18:16, 15th) and Karistopher Gadsen (18:24, 16th).
For the ECHS boys: Will Collins (18:56, 24th), Levi Thomas (19:11, 29th), Seth Moye (19:21, 30th), Tristan Kurtz (19:29, 32nd) and Jacob Long (19:43, 34th).
For the SEHS girls: Cheyenne Ryan (22:15, sixth), Mia Fitzpatrick (seventh, 22:17), Magdalene Morgan (22:22, eighth), Lily McDonald (22:34, 14th) and Melanie Ripley (22:40, 16th).
For the ECHS girls: Candace Kieffer (19:58, first), Brooke Maseda (22:36, 15th), Shelby Hilton (23:43, 24th), Olivia Lott (23:56, 26th) and Hope Harden (25:44, 36th).
