Sanchez brings home state title to Blairsville

CARROLLTON, GA – Zoe Sanchez is a back-to-back state champion.

The senior ran a blistering pace of 20 minutes, 6.82 seconds to take home her second-consecutive Class AA cross country state championship Saturday, Nov. 2, at Carrollton High School.

The state title comes nearly a week after Sanchez took home her second-consecutive Region 8-AA individual championship in Lexington.

Sanchez won her first cross country title last season with a time of 20:04.45

The senior finished nearly 30 seconds ahead of second place, Bleckley County freshman Tristen Crosby (20:34.20).

Bleckley County was well-represented as Austin Perez, a Bleckley County senior, placed third (20:49.20).

Monticello senior Mari Jablonski was fourth (21:26.35), and Berrien senior Rebecca Chandler (21:36.47) rounded out the top five finishers.

Sadie Underwood, a Union County senior, ran well with a time of 23:36.44 and was the 30th finisher out of the 194 participants.

Union County Sophomore Hana Gregory ran a time of 24:36.18, which was strong enough to place 49th.

Lexi Ochoa, a Union County senior, came in 57th with a time of 25:02.96, while fellow senior Allison Vincent was 77th with a time of 26:30.82.

Jessie Holbrooks, senior, was 85th with a time of 26:51.36, and sophomore Campbell Chamber placed 97th with a time of 27:25.86.

As a team, Union County placed ninth overall with a collective time of 1:59:53.22, for an average of 23:58.65.

Twenty-nine teams competed at the state championship.

To view the complete results from the state championship race, click here.