Towers Innocent Bembetem (left) won the Region 5-2A boys’ title and Tucker’s Norris Minnis (right) helped the Tigers reach the state meet with his Top 10 finish. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Chamblee, Martin Luther King Jr. and Tucker high boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams lead the way for 14 DeKalb squads running in the GHSA state meets this weekend at Carrollton High School.
The Class 5A contingent are the first up as they run on Friday at 9:00 am (boys) and 9:45 am (girls).
Chamblee’s Matthew Coates (17:09.41) won the Region 4-5A boys’ title as the Bulldogs came in second overall to Decatur. Tucker’s Abdeleselam Kerebo (17:21.25) was second behind Coates and teammate Norris Minnis (17:52.37) was fourth as the Tigers finished third.
Coates’ teammates Bennett Gerspacher (18:20.74) and Ryan Shimabukuro (18:27.13) were seventh and eighth, respectively. King was led by Braylin Grier (18:10.26) who finished sixth to lead the Lions into a state meet slot with their fourth-place finish.
Chamblee was also second in the girls’ race behind Decatur led by three Top 10 finishers in Leanna Maender (22:27.69, 6th), Madeline Harron (22:33.82, 7th) and Abigail Mueller (22:57.14).
Tucker’s Tsega Atiso (23:59.21) finished 14th to lead the Lady Tigers to a third-place finish and a state meet berth.
India Thorpe (23:04.32) led the Lady Lions to their state berth with an 11th place finish to help team finish fourth.
SATURDAY
Saturday’s state meets feature eight teams beginning with the Class 2A boys at 9:30 am. Towers finished just five-points out of first in the Region 5-2A meet to earn its state meet berth.
The Titans were led by individual meet winner Innocent Bembetem (18:06.83) and teammates Phenix Olaco (19:21.34, 3rd) and Kevin Wynn (19:52.32, 5th).
Redan finished third in the 5-2A meet to qualify for state as well led by Zamarvian Green (19:47.35, 4th) and Micah Thompkins (20:06.89, 7th).
Dunwoody’s Claire Shelton (left) and Druid Hill’s Harley Martz (right) both finished second in their respective region meets to lead their teams to state meet qualifying spots. (Photo by Mark Brock)
CLASS 4A
The Clarkston Angoras and Druid Hills boys’ teams qualified for the state meet on Saturday at 12:30 pm. Clarkston was the Region 6-4A runner-up to Westminster led by three Top 10 finishers.
Abenezer Woellore (16:28.57, 3rd) led the way for the Angoras. Clarkston’s Yoseef Alemayehu (16:52.92, 9th) and Claude Tusiime (17:08.73, 10th) rounded out the Top 10.
Druid Hills state berth was fueled by Owen Blount (18:09.83, 15th).
On the girls’ side Druid Hills and Southwest DeKalb earned spots in the state meet on Saturday at 1:15 pm.
Harley Martz (20:18.95) led the Lady Red Devils’ charge coming in second overall in the region meet. Indies Shuler (22:23.39, 10th) gave Druid Hills two Top 10 finishes on the day.
Southwest DeKalb’s Kaila Wimes (26:11.93) finished 22nd overall to lead the Lady Panthers into the state met.
CLASS 6A
The Lakeside boys’ and Dunwoody girls’ teams punched tickets to the Class 6A state meet in Carrollton with fourth place finishes at the Region 4-6A meet.
The Vikings’ Andrew Bitsko (16:48.6) finished ninth to lead Lakeside’s charge into the state meet. Dunwoody finished just out of state contention in fifth. Lakeside will run at 2:00 pm in the Class 6A state meet.
Dunwoody’s qualifying run to state was fueled by Claire Shelton (18:22.5) who finished second overall on the day. The Lady Wildcats hit the course at 2:45 pm on Saturday.
See link below for full Region meet results:
2023 DCSD Region Cross Country Meet Results
STATE MEETS – CARROLTON HIGH SCHOOL
Friday November 3, 2023
9:00 am – 5A Boys – Chamblee, M.L. King, Tucker
9:45 am – 5A Girls – Chamblee, M.L. King, Tucker
Saturday November 4, 2023
9:30 am – 2A Boys — Towers, Redan
12:30 pm – 4A Boys — Clarkston, Druid Hills
1:15 pm – 4A Girls — Druid Hills, SW DeKalb
2:00 pm – 6A Boys — Lakeside
2:45 pm – 6A Girls — Dunwoody