Amanda Cope and Skyler Lowe have been leaders for the Winder-Barrow High School cross country teams all season.
So it should come as no surprise the WBHS standouts led their respective teams at the AAAA state meet Saturday in Carrollton. Cope paced the Lady Bulldoggs to a 10th place finish while Lowe helped the WBHS boys to a 31st overall team placing.
“We had some very good times,” said WBHS cross country coach Michael Lofton. “It was a very difficult course. We set some personal records. It was the first time this season we had to run in colder temperatures. We did well.”
The coach noted the Lady Bulldoggs were ranked 16th going into the state meet and finished 10th. The boys were ranked 30th and were at that mark.
“Some of our kids were upset that we didn’t finish higher but we lost 11 seniors from last year,” Lofton said. “Most of our kids ran faster than last year.”
With the majority of the program’s runners returning for 2011, Lofton knows the experience gained this fall will be beneficial.
“We held our own this season,” the coach said. “We are gaining maturity. We will take training more seriously now. We had several freshmen runners who were right there close to our top five. I am proud of how our kids did throughout the year. All during the season, people were saying ‘watch out for Winder-Barrow.’” The Apalachee High School girls were 24th out of 32 teams at state.
“It was a very tough and challenging race,” coach Billy Harrell said. “temperatures were low and wind was a major factor. All in all, I am still pleased with our result. Other than Winder-Barrow, no one in our region finished higher than 18th.”
The season was one of improvement for the Lady Wildcats.
“I look at how we improved and I am very pleased,” Harrell said. “I had every runner improve a minimum of two minutes from the race at Carrollton earlier in the season. This is the highest finish in school history. It is very exciting for next year because I graduate no one.”
