Yellowjackets successful at SHS Invitational

October 21, 2012

Kate Mattox of SHS was the winner of the varsity girls meet. (Photo by Kim Murrell, SDN)

The Starkville High cross country teams hosted area teams for the Starkville High School Invitational Saturday with the Yellowjackets taking first in both the girls 4K and boys 5K races.

“I was really proud of the girls (Saturday),” SHS cross country coach Caroline Woomer said. “Kate is always going to give her very best. She is a great leader and that translates to the whole team. Anna (Jackson) stepped up and ran great (Saturday). I am also proud of our girls who all came in together. They stayed together the whole race, paced themselves and in the end capped off a great race for us.”

“Our guys ran well together. Damian (Grady) and Joseph (MacGown) both had great runs. That senior leadership has been excellent. (Saturday) our guys stepped up to the plate and I am proud of their effort and success they achieved.”

Starkville won the girl’s 4K with 40 points, followed by Choctaw Central in second at 65 points and Pearl who rounded out the top three with 69 points. Taking top honors in the boy’s 5K with 23 points was Starkville, followed by Pearl and Germantown with 33 and 117 points respectively.

Kate Mattox (14:53.10) was the top Lady Jacket for the day finishing first, followed by Anna Jackson (16:59.53) at seventh. Shanika Musser ran 17:12.80 as she was the third Starkville girl finishing ninth. Carla Bohna (17:21.36) and Carys Snyder (17:22.85) rounded out the top five finishers for Starkville finishing 11th and 12th respectively.

“I got off to a bit of a slow start,” Mattox said. “Through the middle, I was able to pick it back up and pull off a good time and pick up the win.”

In the boy’s 5K, Damian Grady (16:51.17), Joseph MacGown (16:53.61) and Ethan Musser (18:01.51) crossed the line back to back to back to give Starkville the top three finishers of the day. Stuart Woomer was next to finish running 18:13.48 to finish sixth, while Jack Bryan rounded out the Jackets finishing 11th with a time of 18:49.21.

“This was my first win,” Grady said. “Being a senior that is exciting, but I am just excited for our team. We ran well together and to win was just great.”

Pearl High School won the junior high girls 3K and took top individual honors as Shelby Chapman came in as the top finisher with a time of 12:50.30. Kennis Kingery was the top Starkville athlete finishing 18th with a time of 15:58.49. In the boy’s heat it was again Pearl finishing first with 27 points, while Mayuhk Datta of Kosciusko put up the top time of 11:28.96. Starkville’s Lucas Elde crossed the line third with a time of 11:49.21.

Next up for the SHS teams will be the Run for Education on October 27 in Starkville, followed by the State Cross Country Championships on November 10 in Clinton.