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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR SPORTS EDITOR
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com   
The T.A. Dugger Jr. Lady Cyclone cross country team has steadily worked to reduce their personal best times all season long and that hard work paid off in a big way for the ladies as during the Daniel Boone Trailblazer Invitational, the Jr. Lady Cyclones pulled off a first-place finish and qualified for the state tournament on Oct. 23, 2021, in Knoxville.

Leading the way for TAD was Arvella Nave. Nave crossed the finish line in a time of 13:05 to claim first place for the junior high girls. Helen Hackett’s finish of 13:48 was good enough for a third-place finish in the event.

Jane Hackett legged out a time of 14:04 which gave the Lady Cyclone a fifth-place finish.  Finishing in seventh place was Madeline Isaacs who crossed the finish line in a time of 14:21.

Adrian Heading wrapped up a 13th-place finish while running a time of 14:29. Michelle Shields run of 14:56 was good for 17th place while Anna Jenkins closed out the day for the Jr. Lady Cyclones with a time of 15:31 which placed her in 33rd place.

A total of 132 girls ran in the meet.

The TAD boys finished in eighth place in the event led by Carl Vogt who placed 68th with a run of 14:48. Trystyn Eggers was right in Vogts footsteps as he crossed in 69th with a time of 14:48.

Donnie Horan and Michael Suggs finished back-to-back in 71st and 72nd respectively as Horan timed a 14:49 as did Suggs just a tenth behind his teammate.

TAD’s Cooper Cole finished in 74th place as his time showed 14:53.

Andrew Alexander (16:12) captured 96th place and Keats Mink (17:11) finished 109th to close out the day for the Jr. Cyclones. There were 142 participants in the Jr. High boys event.

“Our girls have been awesome this year,” said TAD cross-country coach Janey White. “They have worked really hard this year and are really talented. They come to practice every day and try so hard.

“They are super competitive with each other which helps out overall.”

White noted that the boys have done considerably well despite losing several runners off last year’s squad.

“This year we are kind of having a building year but they have worked really hard too.”