By Donald Heath
Special for the Effingham Herald
Local cross-country runners get a chance to run in their own neighborhood Saturday morning when they compete in the popular Honey Ridge 5K at the Farm race in Guyton.
The flat course winds around a setting that includes barns, tractors, and farm animals. Roosters can be heard in the morning hours. Spectators must step carefully from the grassy parking area which is often used for grazing.
Host South Effingham has dominated the race in the past, but Effingham County’s Chloe Adkins and Theron Claridge could challenge for individual honors.
Adkins, now a sophomore, ran her first varsity race at Honey Ridge last season and placed second. At the end of the season, she had the county’s best female time at state.
Claridge, now a junior, was third at Honey Ridge a year ago after running a personal best time of 17:02.30. He broke the Rebels’ school record in the first race this season with a time of 16:41 at the Frazier-Hite Invitational hosted by Southeast Bulloch on Aug. 29.
Both Adkins and Claridge have posted times this season within 10 seconds of last year’s winning times at Honey Ridge (19:41 for the girls and 16:32 for the boys).
SEHS’ boys and girls have been led this season by senior Ben Fluegel and freshman Natalia Melegari.
ECHS competes on Jones County course
The Effingham County Rebels traveled to Gray on Saturday to compete in the Ranchers Release the Hounds race on the Jones County Cross Country Course.
Theron Claridge led the Rebels with a time of 16:51.43 and a 10th-place finish. Teammate Joseph Esco ran a personal-best 16:52.89 to finish 12th.
In the girls’ race, ECHS sophomore Chloe Adkins placed third with a personal-best 19:47.19.
The Rebels will run at Wayne County Sept. 26 before competing at Honey Ridge on Saturday.
Here are ECHS’ results at Gray:
ECHS girls – Chloe Adkins (19:47.19, 3rd) and Abigail Williamson (23:47.96, 35th).
ECHS boys – Theron Claridge (16:51.43, 10th), Joseph Esco (16:52.89, 12th), Evan Albert (20:44.54, 93rd), Orion Dagin (20:50.21, 95th) and Ethan Hankins (21:00.40, 99th).
VOLLEYBALL
SEHS goes undefeated during the week
South Effingham earned four wins last week, defeating Tattnall County, Bryan County, Tift County and Camden County all on the road in straight sets.
The Mustangs (16-13) have won 13 of their last 18 matches and need just victories over Bradwell Institute and Statesboro to claim a subregion championship.
Senior Riley Stringer was a key finisher with 25 kills in the four games. She led the team with seven kills and added six aces against Bryan County.
Riley and her sister Morgan combined for 17 kills against Camden County.
Clara Vorel paced the team with nine kills against Tift and Anna Kate Taylor had five kills to lead a balanced effort against Tattnall.
Rebels extend winning streak to seven
Effingham County’s girls traveled to Warner Robins to register two close wins against Houston County and Northside on Sept. 17 before coming home and getting a subregion victory against Evans and some local bragging rights against Calvary.
The Rebels (23-12) extended their winning streak to a season-high seven.
Senior Emily Perkins had six kills as ECHS defeated Houston 15-13 in the deciding third set.
The Rebels followed with a 2-0 win (27-25 in the second set) over Northside, a squad with a 19-12 record. Bella Teston and Kimber Michaelis had seven kills apiece.
On Thursday, sophomore Jordyn Powell had six kills and Teston added five in a 2-0 win over subregion foe Evans. Michaelis had eight kills and freshman setter Brynley Jordan added 12 assists in a straight sets win over Calvary.
