UC Cross Country Teams Fare Well In Openers

By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
 
Union City, Tenn.–Union City High School and middle school cross country runners fared well in their first official regular season meets of the season Saturday at Fulton County High School.
 
The middle school girls’ and high school boys’ teams both finished as runners-up in the event, while the UCMS boys placed fifth.
 
The middle school girls placed second in their competition – a two-mile race — with 79 points.
 
Individual places and times included: Bailey Wagoner, 11^th, 14:34; Kennedi Robinson, 12^th, 14:37; Ada Rogers, 17^th, 15:03; Jorge Frankum, 21^st, 15:39; Lennon Bing, 33^rd, 17:20; Davey Frankum, 44^th, 18:19; and Myranda Parr, 50^th, 19:29.
 
Also finishing for the Lady Tornadoes were: Dani Frankum, 51^st, 20:08; Mimi Jenkins, 52^nd, 20:57; Jamya Fair, 57^th, 21:34; Bertie Jenkins, 59^th, 22:02; and Cadence Gray, 67^th, 26:37.
 
Middle school’s boys’ times were: Rushdon Howell, 10^th, 14:04; Owen Wagoner, 14^th, 14:21; Maddox Dunn, 35^th, 15:43; Conner Smith, 48^th, 17:13; Landon McAdams, 56^th, 18:30; and Will Ragsdale, 57^th, 19:07.
 
The high-schoolers ran a regular 5K race and UC coaches John and Katie Parr used the meet to work on the times of their fourth- and fifth-place boys’ runners by using their Top 3 as pace-setters. The Parr duo hopes the strategy can get all their Top 5 to finish with times under 19 minutes in future meets.
The Tornadoes ended up with 66 total points in their second-place finish.
Individual finish order and times for the Purple and Gold included: BJ Frankum, 4^th, 18:24; Cedrion Cook, 9^th, 19:01; Matthew Parr, 14^th, 19:48; Ben Martinek, 17^th, 20:00; Colby Butler, 23^rd, 20:30; and Grant Jernigan, 49^th, 23:08.
 
Also competing were: Tucker Rivers, 50^th, 23:12; Aidan Smith Fee, 51^st, 23:28; Cameron McLendon, 52^nd, 23:30; Elijah Cavalier, 54^th, 23:41; Quailvarious Brown, 68^th, 29:23; and Brendan Meade, 69^th, 30:03.
 
With only three girls on the roster, the UCHS girls did not have enough participants to field a unit for the team portion of the event.
 
The Lady Tornadoes did post good finishes and times, led by Kaitlyn Lamb, 13th place, 25:25; Chloe Meade, 30^th, 29:20; and Lizzy Jones, 31^st, 29:23.
 
The high school squads will be back in action Tuesday, at West Carroll High School in Atwood, before then participating in the Memphis Twilight Classic Saturday.
 
UC’s next middle school meet is Sept. 5 at Martin.
 
 
PHOTO:

Girls, from left – Dani Frankum, Myranda Parr, Lennon Bing, Jamya Fair, Kennedi Robinson, Bailey Wagoner, Molly Kizer, Davey Frankum, Jorge Frankum, Ada Rogers.
Boys, from left –  Brendan Meade, Quailvarious Brown, Matthew Parr, Cedrion Cook, BJ Frankum, Cameron McLendon.