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Date: Sept. 1, 2021
Location: Mount Berry, Ga. – Clara Bowl Cross Country Courses
Events: Women, 6k; Men, 8k
 
MOUNT BERRY, Ga. – Piedmont University's men's and women's cross country programs got their fall seasons started on Wednesday afternoon as the Lions traveled to Mount Berry, Georgia for a meet with the Berry College Vikings.
 
Both groups got their races started right around 7:00 p.m. at the annual Watermelon Run. The Piedmont women showed up in a big way as senior VAL ANGEL took first place in the women's 6k race with a 25:20.9 final time.
 
Angel has now won each of the last two races she has entered dating to back to last season when she won the USA South West Division Championship race.
 
Behind Angel was junior JAYCIE PONCE in second place with a personal-best time in the 6k thanks to a time of 25:48.2. The finish for Ponce is encouraging for her and the team as a whole, as she is not traditionally among the top three finishers for this Piedmont unit.
 
On the men's side, junior GARY HALVERSON paced the Lions and finished fourth with a 28:09.0 final time in the 8k. Senior CONNOR MORANOS was the only other Lion to place in the top 10 as he crossed the line in ninth place with a time of 28:24.8. CONNOR CREEDON finished third for Piedmont with a time of 29:36.1.
 
Senior DARIUS SMITH was also in the top half of the field with his 19^th place finish while freshman TUCKER COX placed 22nd to finish mid-pack and lead all Piedmont newcomers.
 
The Watermelon Run provided the Lions a chance to get back into the swing of things to start the season, but without traveling to a crowded meet with a competitive field. Now, the Lions can set their sights on their next meet, the UNG Invitational, which is scheduled for next Friday, September 10, in Oakwood, Georgia.
 
Complete women's results:
6k:
VAL ANGEL – 25:20.9
JAYCIE PONCE – 25:48.2
ADDIE BOLTON – 27:16.9
JOSEY GEORGE – 27:49.4
LEEANN LAWRENCE – DNF
TANEA DAVIS – DNF
 
Complete men's results:
8k:
GARY HALVERSON – 28:09.0
CONNOR MORANOS – 28:24.8
CONNOR CREEDON - 29:36.1
DARIUS SMITH – 29:57.1
TUCKER COX – 30:27.7
JACOB BALOT – 30:55.1
JADON GONZALES – 31:07.1
COLE ELROD – 31:14.9
NATHANIEL TURNER – 31:20.6
NOAH IRWIN – 32:12.3
WALKER CAPELLE – 32:34.6
TREY HUGULEY – 32:49.3
PETER SLIGH – 32:50.1
CHRIS BALE – 33:44.0
 
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