Region Cross Country

I wrote this article for the local paper last night. I've edited the kid's names to initials (not that I don't trust all y'all, but you know what the internet can be....) Just so you know, Girl was running with tendonitis in both legs--her knees and calf muscles are inflamed and nothing will help but rest, which will come after next Monday!! She was happy with her seventh place showing.

Cross Country Eagles Soar at Region













Twenty-one runners make up the Brentwood Eagles’ cross country team. Going into region, the injuries were varied:

Twelve sets of sore feet, eleven inflamed tendons, ten painful shin splints, nine nasty blisters, eight aching calves, seven tight lower backs, six strained hamstrings, five sets of nerves… four ingrown toenails, three nasty head colds, two sprained ankles, and a hip needing daily physical therapy.

Cross country running isn’t for wimps.

With an admirable display of guts and heart, the varsity boys’ cross country team placed 3rd in region, and the varsity girls were region runners-up – both amazing feats.

Days of inclement weather in Athens had left the Monsignor Donovan cross country course a soupy mess. Puddles and cascading water made the very hilly terrain even more daunting. New tree roots were exposed and unmarked, and the Georgia clay turned into slippery muck.

Of the six varsity boys, AB was the lone injury-free runner. CS was unable to run, sidelined with a stress fracture. GP ran on a sprained ankle. ST was dealing with a flare-up of juvenile arthritis. JB fell on the course and finished with twisted ankle. And SB’s injured hip had required daily physical therapy for two weeks, leaving him unable to train.

But the boys pulled together, dug down deep and were proud with their third place showing. AB placed third individually.











The varsity girls were in a little better shape, injury-wise. CP was unable to run, having been sidelined by a skateboarding accident. JV runner AG was drafted to “run-up” in varsity, having never competed in a varsity race before. Girl, MB, HH, and SS completed the 5-woman team. That’s three eighth graders and two sophomores running for region. Against Gatewood, whose girls’ cross country team is legendary in the STATE.

They have every right to be proud to be region runners-up. AG placed third individually, and SS placed fourth. All the ladies threw their hearts and souls into the race, and it showed in a brilliant display of teamwork, pacing and timing.












Brentwood’s JV runners ran well also. With AS in a cast with calcaneal epiphysitis in his heel, the boys were down a man. AP, WH, JT and WA competed in fine form, with WA finishing in third place and AP in fourth place. The girls were also down to four. HC and JT fought to the wire for third and fourth place (it was a dead heat until the last step when HC’s longer legs made the difference), and KT and CB finished in admirable time, although caked in mud.

For their efforts, all 18 runners who competed in region qualified to run at the state cross country meet in Macon on October 29.

Coaches LA, DB, BB and JS are to be congratulated for their hard work in encouraging, motivating, and pushing this team toward success.













Eighth grade girls- GO LADY EAGLES!!!!!

This very young cross country team has a very bright future.