Cross Country takes second, falls to South

(PHOTO/ Troy Athletics) Senior Bradley Dixon led the Trojans with his fifth place finish and a time of 16:7.7. Dixon’s performance was followed by Silas Franklin, Blake Vaughn and James Brake, who took spots eight through 10.Hanna Cooper The Troy men’s and women’s cross country teams brought home second place at the Azalea City Classic at the Brookley Field Golf Course Friday evening. The Trojans raced against Lawson State, Mobile and South Alabama. After a second-place finish in the JSU Struts Season Opener last Friday, Head Coach Elliot Blount opted for a smaller line up on the women's side and did not return any of his top finishers. The women earned their second consecutive second-place finish tallying 54 points, falling only to hosting team South Alabama. Senior Michaela Ashley paced the Trojans with an eighth-place finish in 20:50.8, while freshman Summer Williams came in just behind her with a ninth-place finish in 20:50.9. “We are trying to figure out the top seven this week for both the men and women,” Blount said. “We saw some good things from this women’s group as they continue to round out the top seven.” On the men’s side, Blount ran the same eight of his runners who competed last week. For the second consecutive week, Bradley Dixon led the Trojans with a fifth-place finish in 16:17.7. Silas Franklin, Blake Vaughn and Bennett Brake took eighth, ninth and 10th place, respectively, to give the Trojan’s four top-10 finishes. Overall, the men tallied 44 points earning a second-place finish in the four-team field behind host South Alabama. “The men’s race showcased what can happen to a young team that doesn’t execute well,” Blount said. “We just have to learn to commit and then execute. “We have some action next week, so with a short memory and intent on moving forward, we can expect improvement.” The Trojans are back in action next Saturday, Sept. 14 at the Mountain Dew Invite in Gainesville, Florida.