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Sports notebook: ECHS’ Adkins, Claridge top local runners at Class 5A cross-country sectionals
Chloe Adkins
Sophomore Chloe Adkins shattered her old mark by about 23 seconds with a time of 18:45.3 in the 5K race. (Submitted photo.)

By Donald Heath

Special for the Effingham Herald

A couple of Effingham County High School cross country record setters continued to set school records Nov. 2 at Class 5A Sectional 1 meet at Toombs County.

Sophomore Chloe Adkins shattered her old mark by about 23 seconds with a time of 18:45.3 in the 5K race while junior Theron Claridge timed out at 15:58.5, bettering his previous best by about 35 seconds, to topple the Rebels boys’ mark.

Adkins finished fourth in the Sectional among girls and Claridge was seventh among boys. Both advanced to the Class 5A state cross country championship in Carrollton on Friday.

Rebel senior Joseph Esco also made the field at state. The top 20 runners and top 12 teams advanced to Carrollton.

“I was super pleased with the quality of effort of every runner who participated,” ECHS coach P.J. Richards said. “It’s been a good season.”

South Effingham’s Ben Fluegel posted his personal-best time of 16:24.81 to place 15th and advance to state.

The Mustang girls, led by freshman Natalia Melegari’s 10th-place finish with a personal-best time of 19:41.55, made state as a team when they placed 10th among 26 teams.

South’s boys were 18th and ECHS boys were 15th among 28 teams.

The Rebel girls were 21st teamwise. Here are the Effingham County and South Effingham top five runners scoring team points

 

ECHS girls – Chloe Adkins (4th, 18:45.24), Abigail Williamson (57th, 21:39.47), Winter Knapp (159th, 27:01.64), Kahliyah Palmer (167th, 29:01.44), Lisette Ablakwa (168th, 29:08.35).

ECHS boys – Theron Claridge (7th, 15:58.44), Joseph Esco (8th, 16:09.40), Orion Dagin (107th, 18:42.78), Brennan Gelderman (128th, 19:17.17), Ethan Hankins (132nd, 19:19.81).

SEHS girls – Natalia Melegari (10th, 19:41.55), Lydia Alderman (40th, 20:58.14), Rebecca Long (50th, 21:27.99), Patricia Backlund (67th, 21:50.07), Brenna Kicklighter (76th, 22:07.10).

SEHS boys – Ben Fluegel (15th, 16:24.81), Adyn Easton (41st, 17:12.64), Nathaniel West (94th, 18:11.84), Mason Jarvi (135th, 19:26.33), Mayson Young (158th, 20:11.89).

 

BASKETBALL

SEHS tips off the season Nov. 8 at Woodville-Tompkins

Basketball season, which began practice on Oct. 28, always has a way of sneaking up. South Effingham’s boys and girls have a scrimmage scheduled against host Richmond Hill today (Nov. 6) before tipping off the season for real at Woodville-Tompkins on Friday (Nov. 8).

The girls’ scrimmage at Richmond Hill starts at 5 p.m. followed by the boys at 6:30. At Woodville, the varsity girls start at 6:30 with the boys scheduled for 8.

Effingham County’s boys and girls have scrimmages slated against Beach High on Nov. 8. The boys open their season Nov. 19 at Southeast Bulloch. The girls tip off at home against Savannah Country Day on Nov. 15.

 

FLAG FOOTBALL

SEHS, ECHS meet Nov. 7 in Area 1 tilt

South Effingham will host rival Effingham County on Thursday at 5:30, possibly with first place in Division III-Area 1 on the line.

Both teams entered the week of Nov. 4 with 2-0 records in area play. South (6-2) has won six games in a row overall. ECHS (7-5) has a two-game winning streak.