NEED TO KNOW
Date: Oct. 16, 2021
Location: Mount Berry, Ga. – Clara Bowl Cross Country Courses
Events:  Men 8k // Women 6k
Team Finishes: Men, 6^th of 16; Women, 4^th of 14
 
MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – After a couple weeks of rest and recuperation, Piedmont University's cross country teams got back to action on Saturday with some solid performances from their respective team leaders.
 
The Lion men took the stage first at the Berry XC Invitational and placed sixth out of 16 teams behind senior captain CONNOR MORANOS, who placed 11^th overall with a personal best 26:39.2.
 
That time for Moranos moves him up from sixth to third on Piedmont's all-time record book.
 
Moranos led the way for GARY HALVERSON, who placed 15^th overall with 27:07.9, which marks a season-best for the junior.
 
The second wave was not far behind as juniors DARIUS SMITH and CONNOR CREEDON stuck together yet again and placed 41^st and 44^th, respectively. Smith clocked a 28:20.1 compared to Creedon's 28:26.1.
 
Junior JACOB BALOT and senior COLE ELROD crossed the line dead even and placed 55^th and 56^th, respectively, as Balot edged Elrod by just one one-hundredth of a second with a 28:46.70.
 
JADON GONZALES was the top Piedmont freshman yet again and placed 57^th with a 28:48.2 final time.
 
The Piedmont women followed with a 6k run and were once again led by senior VAL ANGEL, who earned a top five finish with a career-best 23:44.7.
 
Angel topped her previous best time by a full second and remains at second on the program's record book, just two seconds off the program's best time, a 23:42.8 set by Reese Bowles in 2016.
 
Four juniors claimed the next four spots for Piedmont, led by JAYCIE PONCE in 17^th place with a 24:28.2. That mark cleared Ponce's previous personal best by just two one-hundredths of a second.
 
JOSEY GEORGE and ADDIE BOLTON followed with finishes of 37^th and 39^th, respectively. George set a personal best with 25:28.2 while Bolton clocked a 25:33.6.
 
LEEANN LAWRENCE rounded out the top five with a 28:04.8, followed by MADALYN WILLIAMS and IMANI VINCENT, who made their team debuts in the event.
 
This weekend's meet serves as the final warm-up ahead of the USA South Conference Championships, which is now just two weeks away. North Carolina Wesleyan will be the host school for the event on October 30.
 
Complete men's results:
8k:
CONNOR MORANOS – 26:39.2
GARY HALVERSON – 27:07.9
DARIUS SMITH – 28:20.1
CONNOR CREEDON – 28:26.1
JACOB BALOT – 28:46.7
COLE ELROD – 28:46.8
JADON GONZALES – 28:48.2
MAX MILLER – 29:00.2
NOAH IRWIN – 29:14.5
TUCKER COX – 29:26.6
WALKER CAPELLE – 29:30.7
MATTHEW GALE – 29:45.5
PETER SLIGH – 30:01.7
NATHANIEL TURNER – 30:12.8
TREY HUGULEY – 31:56.2
CHRIS BALE – 31:56.3
ZANE SMITH – 34:30.8
 
Complete women's results:
6k:
VAL ANGEL – 23:44.7
JAYCIE PONCE – 24:28.2
JOSEY GEORGE – 25:28.2
ADDIE BOLTON – 25:33.6
LEEANN LAWRENCE – 28:04.8
MADALYN WILLIAMS – 28:38.0
IMANI VINCENT – 29:44.0
SHYELLE DAVENPORT – 32:06.6

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