Cherokee High School cross country runners Kendall Toineeta and Gerald Mahan qualified for the state cross country meet with their finishes in this past weekend’s Regional Meet held at Cherokee High School on Saturday, Oct. 27. The state meet will be held on Saturday, Nov. 3 in Kernersville.
Toineeta, who qualified for the state meet last year as a freshman, placed 13th in the girls regional with a time of 22:20.04. Sophia Bhalla, Lincoln Charter, won the regional championship with a time of 19:48.19. She was followed by Sarah Hardin, Lake Norman Charter, 20:47.85 and Mara Bhalla, Lincoln Charter, 20:55.82.
Lincoln Charter edged out Lake Norman for the regional team championship. Both schools posted a score of 39, but Lincoln Charter won the championship by having a better total time. Swain County took third with a score of 101 followed by Hayesville 112, Hendersonville 126, Pine Lake Prep. 144, Highland School of Technology 171 and Thomas Jefferson 191.
Other Cherokee runners on the girls side included: Lydia Lossiah, 27th, 23:22.45 and Jordyn Thompson, 57th, 25:50.52.
Mahan took 9th in the boys race with a time of 18:03.51. Dylan Johnson, SMC champion from Hayesville, won the regional championship with a time of 16:24.59. He was followed by Zach Boone, Mitchell, 16:33.00 and Frank Cline, Robbinsville, 17:05.21.
Lake Norman won the boys regional team championship with a score of 41. They were followed by Mitchell 79, Hayesville 120, Highland School of Technology 130, Pine Lake Prep. 156, Hendersonville 168, Murphy 174, Robbinsville 226, Thomas Jefferson 237, Swain County 254, Cherokee 275, Lincoln Charter 286 and Highlands 312.
Other Cherokee runners on the boys side included: Brock Powell, 47th, 20:06.20; Isiah Davis, 71st, 21:23.69; E.J. Carroll, 81st, 22:41.49; and Gabe Crow, 89th, 24:56.01.
In an unanimous vote prior to the start of Saturday’s meet, the Regional coaches decided to hold next year’s Regional meet at Cherokee High School again.
– ONE FEATHER STAFF REPORT
