NC’s Cross Country team conquered the Region 7A course in Newnan on Saturday, October 29. The varsity girls took fifth place, advancing to State, and the varsity boys ended their season with a ninth place finish.

This year, Newnan High School hosted the Region meet and offered a new course for the NC team. Leading up to Saturday, the Warriors eased off their intense workouts to allow their muscles to heal, and Head Coach John Huff ended Friday with a motivational speech to his team.

“I was anxious because everyone was saying different things about the course, but I knew our team was prepared for the race and it ended up being extremely successful,” junior Abby Jeske, who ended her race in tenth place with a time of 20:13, said.

For the seniors, the race marked the end of high school Cross Country. The Region meet allowed them to reflect on their last four years, creating an emotional end for coaches and athletes alike.

“I’m sad that I have to leave my friends who I see everyday after school and the people that I’ve ran with for over four years now,” senior Dillen Ivins said.

However, the varsity girls will compete in the State meet on Friday, November 4 in Carrollton. By earning fifth out of the twelve competing teams, NC will make a reappearance after a three year absence. The top 7 runners include junior Abby Jeske, sophomore Lindsey O’Neill, freshman Sydney Armitage, sophomore Daisy Dunlap, senior Miah Dale, junior Stefanie Garcia, and senior Mackenzie Union.

“The girls really laid it all out there in an effort to qualify for State! Hopefully we’ll see another round of personal bests as we see how we match up with the best programs in the state of Georgia,” Huff said.