Cale Pirtle’s stellar senior season will continue into this weekend.
East Jackson’s top runner ran a 17:19 to finish fourth in Thursday’s Region 8-AA championships at Oglethorpe County to qualify for the Class AA championships in Carrollton Saturday. The top six individuals at region are guaranteed a spot at state. Pirtle also finished fourth in the region last year.
Pirtle was East Jackson’s lone boys’ representative at state a year ago when he ran an 18:22 to finish 38th.
His Eagle teammates won’t be joining him after East Jackson finished fifth as a team in the boys’ race. Others providing points for the Eagles were Stuart Robinett (13th, 18:00), Vladik Staples (20th, 18:24), Cory McClung (37th, 19:02) and Noah Hulett (47th, 19:22).
The East Jackson girls won’t send a team or individual runner to state after the Lady Eagles took sixth in the region, led by Kristin Whitlock, who finished 10th overall with a 22:21. Following her were Hayleigh Smith (12th, 22:33), Sheena McEachin (34th, 24:09), Courtney McDowell (38th, 24:25) and Robin Adair (49th, 25:12).
