The combined co-ed girls and boys middle school cross country team recently completed another successful season.
The team is made up of students in sixth-eighth grade. The program started in 2008.
"I started the middle school cross country team at SCPS mainly so my son, Ty, a seventh-grader, could participate," said head coach DeeDee Colter, who also coaches the high school team. "He had run the annual Enmark Savannah River Bridge Run with me back in 2006 and thus demonstrated he could hold his own at the 5K distance, so I knew he could compete well at the two-mile distance run by middle-schoolers. SCPS long-time middle school athletic director Sonny Lady approved my plan to have the middle school runners train with my varsity team once or twice a week and compete in a few local area meets."
The first year, Colter said, it was mainly just Savannah Country Day, Calvary and SCPS. The dominating runners for the girls and boys squads were Megan Norris and Ty Colter, who both went undefeated.
"These two no doubt dominated the field for the next two years until they entered high school last year," Colter said.
Jennifer Colter, Deidre's daughter, now a sixth-grader, last season as a fifth-grader competed at the middle school level and meets and finished second behind Norris in every race.
This year, their third season, was again a success as eight teams competed - Savannah Christian, Country Day, Calvary, St. Peter's, St. Andrew's, Blessed Sacrament, St. James and Effingham Christian - at each of the five races.
The Red Raiders opened their 2010 season competing in the Saucony Kickoff Classic held in Daffin Park. At that meet, sixth-grader Jennifer Colter - competing against students in sixth-10th grades in the two-mile run - won the first place overall female JV runner title. She went on to win every race she competed in this season except for one. The flu kept her from competing and possibly winning another race, this one at Country Day.
SCPS eighth-grade standout Jacob Simmons dominated the boys team by winning three of five races. He always finished in the top three.
-- Girls - Jennifer Colter, Rebekah Branch, Sabrina Harn, Jillia Kramer, Madison McLean, Lauren Sheldon, Morgan Willard and Madison Mullen.
-- Boys - Jacob Simmons, Bridges Brantley, Jonathan Gallup, James Grusheski, Matthew Korzik, Nelson Lovelace and Connor Robertson.
"Overall, both squads did excellent and as cross country continues to grow as we hope we look forward to hosting a championship meet next year for our local area," Colter said.
Several standout student-athletes in sixth, seventh and eighth grades from Savannah Christian Prep were recently honored with awards at the school's annual Fall Sports Banquet held in mid-November at the southside Carey Hilliard's Restaurant.
-- 6th Pep Squad - Most Spirited: Emily Brown.
-- 6th Volleyball - Most Outstanding Server: Landon Jones; Most Improved: Lainey Aenchbacher; Coaches Award: Emilee Wissmach.
-- 6th Football - Most Outstanding Offensive Player: Ethan Smith; Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Zack Harper; Coaches Award: Cooper Marini.
-- 7th Volleyball - Most Outstanding Server: Claire Durden; Most Improved: Olivia Newell; Coaches Award: Reilly Abshire.
-- 8th Volleyball - Most Outstanding Server: Madison Rogers; Most Improved: Sarah Floyd; Coaches Award: Darby Halliburton; Most Outstanding All-Around: Kailyn Herndon.
-- Cheerleading - Most Improved: Allison Saxon; Coaches Award: Emalee Brown; Most Outstanding All-Around: Chelsea Dettling.
-- Girls Cross Country - Coaches Award: Jillia Kramer; Most Outstanding All-Around: Jennifer Colter.
-- 7th and 8th Football - Most Outstanding Offensive Player: Chandler Wilkinson; Most Outstanding Defensive Player: Hunter Jiran; Coaches Award: J.T. Mertz; Most Outstanding All-Around: Nick Bateman.
-- Scholar athlete award winners: 6th volleyball, Emilee Wissmach; 6th football, Joshua Kelley; 6th Pep Squad, Emily Brown; 7th volleyball, Victoria Thomas; 7th cheerleading, Kennedy Jewell Freeman; 7th football, Tristan Hill-Youmans; 8th volleyball, Brooke Horton, 8th cheerleading: Chandler Dotson; 8th football, Bryce Forkner; girls cross country, Lauren Sheldon; boys cross country, Matthew Korzik.
Contact me with all of your local sports news. Send e-mail to mark beasley.goodsports@yahoo.com.