(L to R) Andrew Dickerson, Charlie Wilson, Carter Manis, Joshua Hathaway, Coach Jim Ailshie, Kevin McCurry, Reid Scott, Kaigan McCloud, Cayden Cox, Daniel Rooker-Melton, Isaiah Livesay, Evan Glass, Roman Borghetti-Metz, Jacie Begley, Allyssa Gent, Lillie Bullock, Anna Houck, and Emma Houck. Not pictured: Taylor Boggs, Sabella Borghetti — Metz, Connor Burns, Abby Fisher, Jayda Kilgore, Eliza Smith
(L to R) Andrew Dickerson, Charlie Wilson, Carter Manis, Joshua Hathaway, Coach Jim Ailshie, Kevin McCurry, Reid Scott, Kaigan McCloud, Cayden Cox, Daniel Rooker-Melton, Isaiah Livesay, Evan Glass, Roman Borghetti-Metz, Jacie Begley, Allyssa Gent, Lillie Bullock, Anna Houck, and Emma Houck. Not pictured: Taylor Boggs, Sabella Borghetti — Metz, Connor Burns, Abby Fisher, Jayda Kilgore, Eliza Smith
The Volunteer High School boys and girls Cross Country teams was honored by the Hawkins County Board of Education this month for their stellar, history making performances this past fall.
The team appeared before the BOE at its Jan. 5 meeting where their accomplishments, both as teams as as individuals, were presented by coach Jim Ailshie.
Ailshie reported to the board that the 2022 Volunteer Girls Cross Country team won the Conference and Region 1 A-AA cross country championships for the first time in school history.
The high school teams representing the Region 1 A-AA classification include: Cherokee, Chuckey-Doak, Claiborne, Cloudland, Cocke Co., Cumberland Gap, Elizabethton, Gatlinburg-Pittman, Grainger, Greeneville, Happy Valley, Jellico, Northview, Pigeon Forge, Seymour, South Greene, Sullivan East, Tennessee High, Unicoi Co., University School, Volunteer, Washburn and West Greene.
The Volunteer girls also finished 8th place at the TSSAA state cross country meet which was held at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville on Nov. 3, 2022.
There are 173 high school teams across the state in the A-AA cross country classification. The 8th place finish was the highest finish for the girls cross country team in school history. With the exception of one runner, the entire girls cross country team returns for next season.
Individual accomplishments included the following:
Jacie Begley was All-Conference, All-region and All-State with a 9th place finish at the state meet. Jacie also set the cross country school record running 19:42.7 for the 5k at Fenders Farm during the season.
Emma Houck was All-Conference, All-Region and had a top 50 finish at the state meet.
Anna Houck was All-Conference and All-Region. Lillie Bullock was All-Region for the second year in a row.
Eliza Smith earned WJHL scholar athlete honors during the cross country season.
Others on the team which contributed throughout the season included: Allyssa Gent, Sabella Borghetti-Metz, Abby Fisher, Jayda Kilgore and Taylor Boggs.
Aishie reported that the Volunteer Boys Cross Country team qualified for the TSSAA state cross country meet for the second year in a row and finished 14th out of 32 competing teams. The Falcons also had a runner-up finish at the conference meet and a third place finish at the Region meet.
Individual accomplishments included the following:
Roman Borghetti-Metz won both the Conference and Region individual cross country championships and was All-Conference and All-Region.
Charlie Wilson earned All-Conference and All-Region honors. Recently, Charlie also signed a track and cross country scholarship to compete at Tennessee Wesleyan College beginning next fall.
Evan Glass was All-Region, was named WJHL scholar athlete of the week and earned a 36 on his ACT.
Connor Burns was the third most improved boy cross country runner in the state in all classifications.
Others contributing to the team included: Kevin McCurry, Cayden Cox, Andrew Dickerson, Isaiah Livesay, Carter Manis, Joshua Hathaway, Kaigan McCloud, Daniel Rooker-Melton and Reid Scott.
Currently, the Volunteer track teams consistign of man yof the same athletes are training for this upcoming track season. The Volunteer girls finished 3rd in the state last spring and the boys finished 11th. Both teams look to improve from last season.
Coach Ailshie said would like to thank the Hawkins County School Board, Hawkins County Commission, Central Office and the Volunteer Administration for their on-going support of the Volunteer track and cross country teams over the years.
