The cross-country team competed in the Mary Persons Bulldog Distance Classic 5k in Forsyth, GA on Aug. 28 at the Monroe County Recreation Center. The varsity boys faced 20 teams and placed first overall, and the varsity girls went up against 14 teams and placed second overall. The junior varsity boys encountered 13 teams and placed second overall and the junior varsity girls opposed 12 teams and also placed second overall. 

Five of the boys accomplished new lifetime personal records: Josh Helms, Nikolas Kendall, Clint Schuler, Clay Tucker, and Aiden Murphy. Three of the girls set new lifetime personal records: Zoey Franklin, Blakely Freeman, and Reece Harper. 

 Senior Josh Helms finished first overall in the race with a time of 16:32. Helms has been running for the team for all four years of his high school career and this is his first time placing first in a race. 

“I felt pretty good during the race, not too tired, but definitely a big push,” Helms said. “I felt really happy with the race.” 

Helms originally set his lifetime personal record in late October 2020 and has been training hard to beat it, and in the second race of the season, he accomplished that task. 

“I wasn’t at all expecting to break my record because it is only our second race of the year, and I didn’t think I would be able to perform as well as I did,” Helms said. 

 Ella Grace Cothran ran a time of 20:33 which earned her first overall. Cothran is a junior and has been running for the team for all her high school years. This was the first time that Cothran had placed first in a race. 

“I felt awesome during the race,” Cothran said. “It was super exciting leading the race because I did not have to commit all my energy into catching up to other runners, and it was less stressful.” 

Boys

Girls