The Jeff Davis cross country teams turned in strong performances at the Richmond Hill Invitational on Saturday, October 17, with both varsity squads finishing among the top six teams and the junior varsity boys earning a runner-up finish.
The Jackets competed against teams from Georgia and South Carolina, with runners participating in four 5K races. Highlights included a first-place individual finish by Dakota Mincey in the JV girls division, three Jeff Davis girls among the top five in that race, and several strong varsity performances.
Varsity Girls Finish Fifth Overall
The Jeff Davis varsity girls finished fifth out of nine scoring teams with 127 points, placing ahead of Alexander, Woodville-Tompkins, Vidalia, and Camden County.
Richmond Hill won the girls team championship with 31 points, followed by Hilton Head with 39, Habersham School with 117, and May River with 122.
Brenlee Boatright led Jeff Davis with a 19th-place individual finish, completing the 5K course in 22:07.63.
Avery Haley followed in 21st place with a time of 22:14.94, while Jade Franco finished 24th in 22:31.30.
Laysie Lewis placed 28th in 22:54.71, rounding out the Jackets’ top four individual finishers.
The remaining Jeff Davis runners were:
- Cadence Ellis — 38th, 23:46.36
- Aurie Taylor — 43rd, 25:01.07
Chloe Miller of Richmond Hill won the varsity girls race in 18:55.81.
The Jackets’ fifth-place finish came in a competitive field, with just five points separating Jeff Davis and fourth-place May River.
Varsity Boys Place Sixth
The Jeff Davis varsity boys finished sixth out of 11 scoring teams with 176 points.
Richmond Hill claimed the team title with 26 points, followed by May River with 56, Alexander with 71, Vidalia with 124, and Habersham School with 145.
Senior Mario Franco led the Jackets with an 18th-place individual finish in 18:03.44.
Sophomore Luke Relihan followed in 23rd place with a time of 18:13.38.
Peyton Hamilton finished 38th in 19:06.86, while Duke Mincey placed 52nd in 20:00.05.
Additional Jeff Davis finishers included:
- Jesse Galvan — 56th, 20:25.53
- Ivan Sanchez — 57th, 20:26.12
- Chase Hughes — 60th, 20:36.98
- Preston Godwin — 73rd, 22:07.71
- Harrison Miller — 75th, 22:31.37
Jackson Wright of May River won the varsity boys race with a time of 15:56.93.
The Jackets finished ahead of Hilton Head, Camden County, Woodville-Tompkins, Coastal Homeschool Athletic Association, and Wayne Christian Academy in the team standings.
JV Boys Earn Runner-Up Finish
The Jeff Davis JV boys delivered one of the team’s strongest collective performances, finishing second overall with 44 points.
Richmond Hill won the division with a perfect score of 15 points, while May River placed third with 63.
Cason Roberson led Jeff Davis with an eighth-place individual finish, completing the course in 19:05.76.
Abel Cabrera followed in 12th place with a time of 19:45.80, while Nathan Rayo finished 13th in 20:07.22.
The remaining Jeff Davis runners were:
- Yobani Cruz Santos — 15th, 20:56.89
- Derek Fitzwater — 17th, 21:22.86
- Rhett Wilkerson — 20th, 21:55.30
Five Jeff Davis runners finished among the top 17 competitors, helping secure the second-place team finish.
Jaxson Fevos of Richmond Hill won the individual race in 17:50.47.
JV Girls: Dakota Mincey Wins Individual Championship
The Jeff Davis JV girls produced another highlight of the meet, led by Dakota Mincey’s first-place finish.
Mincey won the 5K race with a time of 21:29.94, finishing more than a minute ahead of runner-up Brooklyn Dunlevy of Richmond Hill, who crossed the line in 22:38.14.
The Jackets placed two additional runners among the top five.
Rayleigh Pierce finished third in 22:40.25, while Valerie Porras placed fifth in 22:54.01.
Zaylee Dukes rounded out the Jeff Davis finishers, placing 18th in 28:57.60.
With Mincey, Pierce, and Porras finishing first, third, and fifth, Jeff Davis claimed three of the top five individual positions in the JV girls race.
Jackets Continue Strong Season
The Richmond Hill Invitational provided another competitive outing for the Jeff Davis cross country program as the season moves toward postseason competition.
The varsity girls finished fifth in a nine-team field, while the varsity boys placed sixth among 11 scoring teams. The JV boys added a second-place team finish, and the JV girls recorded three top-five individual performances, including Mincey’s race victory.
The results reflect contributions from runners across both the high school and middle school programs.
Congratulations to all Jeff Davis runners and coaches on their performances at the Richmond Hill Invitational!
