STATESBORO, Ga. – Unfazed by the unrelenting sun beating down on the hilly 7 Mile Farm course, South Effingham’s cross country runner Becca Long stayed steady Thursday afternoon.
“They were definitely killing me, but I’d just push up the hills and cruise down them,” said the sophomore, who finished fifth among 222 girls at the Frazier-Hite Invitational.
Long crossed the line in 21:55.46 to lead the Mustangs for the second straight race. She set a personal best of 21:21.70 at the Bob Blastow Invitational in Whitesburg last Saturday.
Long Keeps Mustangs on Track
“Whenever you watch her run, she is always determined,” South coach Brandon Howard said. “The race is in front of her. She’s not fighting demons in her head. There aren’t any doubts. She looks ahead and races the best she can.”
Long’s performance helped the Mustang girls place fourth among 19 teams.
Ben Fluegel’s 18:25.00 led South’s boys to a 10th-place team finish, just one point ahead of 12th-place Effingham County in the boys’ 26-team field.
Grit on the Rebels’ Side
Junior Chloe Adkins, who suffered an ankle injury during the first mile, displayed grit while placing 15th with a time of 22:54.97 to lead the Rebel girls. Evan Albert paced the Rebel boys with a time of 20:54.89, finishing 65th overall.
Different courses and weather conditions create different challenges for runners. One coach was overheard saying the 7 Mile Farm course, although aesthetically pleasing with rolling hills amid gravel and grassy footing in rural Statesboro, was “the least liked course by the runners.”
Adding to the challenge, the late-afternoon start—boys ran at 4:30 p.m. and girls at 5—brought a baking sun and temperatures near 85 degrees.
“I think for the first meet, we did pretty well,” Rebel first-year coach Donnie Jenkins said. “This course was a challenge. It was a learning moment for me. I have to put more stamina drills into our practices.
“(Albert) showed up today, coming around the stretch, he gave everything he had. … Chloe made ground despite the ankle, so that shows determination.”
Fluegel, South’s top runner a year ago, was two and a half minutes faster than any local boy. Long, who continues to show improvement, also distinguished herself Thursday. She ran her best cross country time as a freshman at Sectionals, her season-ending meet last year.
In track, she was the second-fastest on the team in the 3,200 and third-fastest in the 1,600, according to AthleticNet.
“I definitely didn’t expect to PR last week (at Bob Blastow). I’m really happy where I am right now,” Long said.
Howard said the demanding August race showcased the runners’ character.
“At 4 o’clock, the sun, the hills—the whole nine yards—this kind of tough course, this early in the season, helps kids learn to grind it out,” Howard said. “Then, at the end of the season, in cooler conditions, running is fluid.”
Top Times and Team Scores
Here are SEHS and ECHS runners scoring team points (ECHS girls had only four runners and did not qualify for a team score):
SEHS girls: Becca Long (21:55.46, 5th), Natalia Melegari (23:17.36, 21st), Lydia Alderman (24:09.32, 29th), Brenna Kicklighter (25:09.92, 37th), Lyla Gergerich (25:13.99, 40th)
ECHS girls: Chloe Adkins (22:54.97, 15th), Natalie Nelson (26:43.38, 67th), Abigail Williamson (26:57.90, 73rd), Lisette Ablakwa (31:11.36, 148th)
SEHS boys: Ben Fluegel (18:25.00, 10th), Kayden Lewis (21:52.11, 103rd), Colt Thomas Talbot (22:17.24, 121st), Jayden Porter-Macais (22:31.63, 129th), Cohen Bragg (22:54.28, 141st)
ECHS boys: Evan Albert (20:54.89, 65th), Brennan Gelderman (21:34.05, 95th), Arthur Sparks (21:35.51, 96th), Orion Dagin (22:17.06, 120th), Braydon Nelson (22:20.47, 125th)
