ROANOKE RAPIDS — The Roanoke Rapids Cross Country team showed Head Coach Jerry Bullock they were going to be just fine this season after a stout performance in a seven team invitational held Thursday.

Anthony Gainey | Daily Herald Roanoke Rapids Cross Country runner Magen Medlin, right, catches up with an opponent from Rocky Mount as she leads her team to a second place finish. Advertisement

Six of the nine top runners from last year are not back this season due to graduation and other reasons. However, those that did return and some first timers picked up the torch and never looked back, as they vied for top spots on the team.

The boys placed third out of the seven teams with 76 points falling to  Nash Central who had a perfect run with 15 points and  Southern Nash with 64.

“I am very pleased with Alex Snyder and the way he ran,” said Bullock

Snyder turned in a time of  21:40 in the 3.1 mile course. Teammate Bruce Jenkins turned a 22: 06, while Philip Wheat posted a 22:11, Brain Baker helped the squad with a 23: 27 and rounding out the top five runners for the Yellow Jackets was Garrison Gordon with a time of 24:57. 

Magen Medlin lead the charge for the girls as they landed a second place with 41 points just five points out of first losing to Nash Central. Medlin ran a 23:53 which made her the top Jackets runner and placed third overall. Kathrine Cabanillas placed fifth  overall and second behind Medlin with a 24:11.

Rebecca Gordon ran a 24:40 which gave her a sixth place overall and third on the team. Paige Lockamon came in ahead of teammate Roberta Richardson who ran her first cross country meet by just 10 seconds Lockamon ran a 27:35 and Richardson ran a 27:45.

“The girls ran very well today and I’m pleased with the effort they have put forth. We are not quite where we were last year but are already getting close, overall as a team I could not be happier, the times are a little slower than I would like but they will get better as the season goes on,” said Bullock