Ashley Ridge High School

Swamp Fox cross-country runner Erik Ohsfeldt (front) pushes ahead of a pack during the Coaches Classic meet in Columbia.

Kyle Jackson/Fort Dorchester

Fort Dorchester cross-country runners (l to r) Alexis Arnold, Brittany Fulcher and Tylar Culver compete in the Berkeley meet Sept. 23.

Things are looking good for the local cross country teams.

The Ashley Ridge boys’ and girls’ cross country team earned the first win in program history Sept. 17 when they defeated Cane Bay. The team, which is now up to more than 30 members, is competing strongly against teams like Bishop England, Academic Magnet, Berkeley, Fort Dorchester and Summerville.

The Fort Dorchester boys and girls both placed second at the Berkeley meet Sept. 23. The Fort boys have routinely run in the top five at the larger meets this year with Ryan Nobbs and Drew Buehring leading the team with sub-17:30 5k times. The team’s top seven boys are all under 19:30.

The Patriots’ lead ladies are Sande Eier and Jess Helton, who are running stronger every meet with sub-22:30 times.

Patriot coach Rick Nobbs points out that the team of 37 runners is also strong in the classroom, with an average GPA of 3.7.

“We have four more meets before regionals,” Nobbs said. “I’m excited about their chance of being in the top two at regionials and having both teams make state for the first time in many years.”

The Summerville boys are ranked second in Class 4-A in the South Carolina Track and Cross Country Coaches Association poll released Sept. 23. They are ranked third in the all-classifications category behind Wando and Wade Hampton. Josh Taylor, Clayton Thornton and Sebastian Tillman all had times under 17:30 at the Coaches Classic.

The Summerville girls are ranked seventh in Class 4-A. For them, Sydney Hazel and Audrey Connors have led the way so far. The team had five runners finish in times less than 24:30 at the Coaches Classic. Hazel won the Girls’ Varsity division of The Citadel Invitational Sept. 27.

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