Georgetown’s Katlin Colwell crosses the finish line to place third overall in this year’s Vern Hawkins Cross Country Invitational held in Georgetown, Sept. 13.

 

G-Men finish 2nd of 8 teams – 

By Wade Linville – 

Cross country teams from eight high schools ventured to Georgetown on Sept. 13 to compete in this year’s Vern Hawkins Cross Country Invitational. There were a total of 88 runners finishing the high school boys 5K race with the Batavia Bulldogs finishing in first place with a team score of 54, and the Georgetown G-Men finishing runner-up with a team score of 58.
Leading the Bulldogs was Ridge Cook, who took first place with a winning time of 18:35.28.
Leading the G-Men to the finish line was Tanner Ellis, who placed fifth overall with a time of 19:21.27.
Joshua Galley was the second G-Man to cross the finish line, placing seventh overall with a time of 19:33.81.
Emerson Cahall was the third G-Man to cross the finish line, placing 11th with a time of 19:42.26.
Georgetown’s Garrett Ernst placed 23rd with a finish time of 21:00.39, while teammate Anthony Carrington finished 25th with a time of 21:19.76.
The Ripley-Union-Lewis-Huntington Blue Jays finished in seventh place with a team score of 168, and finishing eighth was the Fayetteville-Perry Rockets with a score of 217.
The Blue Jays were led to the finish line by Tristan Fisher, who placed 20th overall with a time of 20:44.45.
Ripley’s Clinton Barley placed 40th with a finish time of 22:47.89, and the third Blue Jay to reach the finish line was Carey Wright, who placed 47th with a time of 23:22.39.
Ripley’s Alex King placed 48th overall with a finish time of 23:25.72, and rounding out the Blue Jays’ top five was Thomas Whaley, who finished 51st with a time of 23:54.41.
The Fayetteville-Perry Rockets were led to the finish line by Stuart Fisher, who placed 34th with a time of 22:08.45.
Fayetteville’s Cryztopher Norris ran for a 52nd place finish with a time of 23:56.02, while teammate Michael Thackston placed 74th with a time of 28:27.02.
The fourth Fayetteville runner to cross the finish line was Christopher Saylor, who placed 76th with a time of 29:11.91. Rounding out the Rockets’ top five was Jarret Lawson, who placed 80th with a finish time of 31:41.37.
HS BOYS TEAM RESULTS
1. Batavia                54
2. Georgetown        58
3. West Clermont    75
4. Felicity-Fr.        112
5. Blanchester       114
6. Goshen              125
7. Ripley                168
8. Fayetteville        217
In the high school girls race at this year’s Vern Hawkins Invite, it was West Clermont finishing first among five teams with a score of 61. The Felicity-Franklin Lady Cardinals finished runner-up with a team score of 65, and the Georgetown Lady G-Men placed third with a team score of 66.
Blanchester’s Savannah Rhodes led all runners to the finish line on the field of 52, posting a winning time of 22:09.06.
Leading the Georgetown Lady G-Men to the finish line was Katlin Colwell, who placed third overall with a time of 22:45.73.
Georgetown’s Olivia Waits placed 11th overall with a finish time of 24:43.14, while teammate Grace Burrows placed 18th with a time of 25:56.75.
Georgetown’s Allyson McHenry placed 19th with a finish time of 26:22.94, and rounding out the Lady G-Men’s top five was Cameron Cluxton, who placed 45th overall with a time of 36:46.03.
HS GIRLS TEAM RESULTS
1. West Clermont    61
2. Felicity-Fr.          65
3. Georgetown        66
4. Batavia               72
5. Goshen               78
In junior high cross country action, it was the Eastern Brown Middle School boys team winning this year’s Hawkins XC Invite, while winning the junior high girls race was the team of Mt. Orab Middle School.