AU men defend Peach Belt XC title; Brickey, Taylor win individual crowns
By Shelbie Summerlin | Sports writer
The Augusta University men’s cross-country team dominated the Peach Belt Conference Championship as they took the nine of the top 10 spots in the 8K race on Saturday, Oct. 23, in Fairburn.
AU had a perfect score of 15 in winning its third straight PBC team title, its fourth in the last five years.
The Jaguars’ Kai Brickey took first place with a time of 24:05.5, winning his second race of the year and his first individual conference title. Teammate Hans Troyer was second, only a second behind Brickey.
“Hans made me fight for every step of that race and I could still here him breathing down my neck,” Brickey said. “Winning was more a sense of relief than anything, but turning around and seeing a wave of white and blue made me the proudest man on earth. Pulling off the first team sweep in conference history made me happier than any medal that I’ve ever earned individually. Today we made history.”
Junior Troyer (second, 24:06.5), senior Chandler Kennedy (third, 24:29.7) and freshmen Patrick Motes (fourth, 24:37.5) and Avery Jaynes (fifth, 24:40.8) rounded out the top five. Freshman Thomas Rischar (sixth, 24:41.9) and sophomore Carlos Rodriguez (seventh, 24:44.6) finished just behind them.
“I had my own doubts of being able to even contribute to the team by the end of the year,” said Kennedy. To be able to contribute in such a positive way for the team certainly brought a sense of relief to the doubts I had after the sickness set me back, and it reminded me of the resilience that I have relied over and over again to get the most out of each opportunity that I’ve had in this sport.”
Flagler’s Christian Fernandez was the only non-AU member in the top 10. He finished in eighth place as Augusta’s Chase Kennedy (24:58.7) and Andrew Todd (25:02.6) finished ninth and 10th, respectively.
“Having our amazing core group of guys that we have helps so much,” said Motes. “Thomas, Carlos, Avery and Andrew, that core group is the best training group I could ask for. The chemistry between us is fluid and it makes racing that much more fun.”
Junior Mackenzie Taylor won the conference women’s championship’s individual title for the second year in a row. Taylor never gave up her lead as she created a gap between her and the rest of the runners early on in the race. She finished the 5K with a time of 18:25.6.
Senior Hannah Beach claimed fourth place with a time of 18:53.6. Other runners for AU included Haley Gilbert (22nd, 20:05.4), Caroline Pierce (26th, 20:16.0), Ella Paolillo (33rd, 20:57.2), Miranda Taylor (34th, 21:02.7), Cassie Lagan (45th, 21:43.3), Priya Giddens (46th, 21:44.2) and Lauren Michael (47th, 21:50.8).
“It was very nice to win conference again and the race felt good,” said Taylor. “The team has been working very hard, we just need to keep our mindset positive during races and trust each other and work off one another. We are very close to a breakthrough.”
The women’s team placed third overall as a team just behind North Georgia in second place and Flagler College who took home the title for the women.
Both AU cross-country teams will compete next in Spartanburg, S.C., for the NCAA Southeast Regional Championships on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Note: Photo at the top of the page of AU men’s cross country team after getting their title trophy. (photo by Deborah Rodriguez, special to the Bell Ringer)
Contact Shelbie Summerlin at ssummerlin@augusta.edu.
Mackenzie Taylor leads the pack off the starting line in the 2021 Peach Belt Conference championship in Fairburn (Ga.). At the top of the page, Hans Troyer (L) and Kai Brickey vie for first place in the men’s 8K championship race. (photos by David Troyer, special to the Bell Ringer)
