PHOTOS: Oglethorpe County XC runners shine at region

At the 1A Division 1 Region 5 cross country meet hosted by Social Circle High School on Tuesday, Oct. 24, the Oglethorpe County High School cross country teams earned a spot in the GHSA state championship race on Friday, Nov. 3. The boys team placed first out of four teams, with senior Landon Mallonee finishing second overall in the varsity boys race. Meanwhile, junior Sydnie Henderson placed first in the girls varsity race and led the Patriots to a second-place team finish.

Oglethorpe County junior Sydnie Henderson rounds a bend in the first lap of the 5K course at the 1A Division 1 Region 5 cross country meet in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Henderson placed first in the girls race with a time of 20:07, 48 seconds ahead of the second place finisher. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
The Oglethorpe County girls cross country team begins the varsity girls 5K at the 1A Division 1 Region 5 cross country meet in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. The Patriots finished second out of four teams in the varsity girls 5K. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
Oglethorpe County sophomore Elin Turner sprints toward the finish line in the varsity girls region 5K in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Henderson placed fourth overall in the varsity girls race with a time of 22:50. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
Mylee Nimmons sprints toward the finish line in the varsity girls region 5K in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. Nimmons placed fifth overall with a time of 23:18. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
Oglethorpe County junior Ethan Dodd and the Patriots cross country team begin the varsity boys 5K at the 1A Division 1 Region 5 meet in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. The Patriots placed first out of four teams in the varsity boys race. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
Senior Landon Mallonee runs his second lap of the 5K course at the 1A Division 1 Region 5 cross country meet in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. With a time of 17:29, Mallonee finished second overall in the boys varsity 5K and first for the Oglethorpe County High School team. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
Oglethorpe County sophomore Dominic Piscitelli runs his second lap of the 5K course at the 1A Division 1 Region 5 cross country meet in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. With a time of 18:48, Piscitelli finished fifth overall and second for the Patriots team. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
Oglethorpe County senior Logan Grier, sophomore Ethan McLean and sophomore Cory Tillman run through the woods during the varsity boys 5K at the region cross country meet hosted in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. The Patriots placed first out of four teams in the varsity boys 5K. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
Members of the Oglethorpe County junior varsity boys cross country team cheer on the Patriots finishers in the varsity race at the 1A Division 1 Region 5 meet in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
Nathen Reesman sprints to the finish of the junior varsity 5K at the Region 5-A Division 1 cross country meet in Social Circle. His teammates cheered him on along the final stretch. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)Nathen Reesman sprints to the finish of the junior varsity 5K at the Region 5-A Division 1 cross country meet in Social Circle. His teammates cheered him on along the final stretch. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
Oglethorpe County junior Sydnie Henderson, sophomore Elin Turner and sophomore Mylee Nimmons recieve medals as three of the top five finishers in the varsity girls region 5K in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. The Oglethorpe County Patriots team placed second of four teams in the varsity girls 5K. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)
The Oglethorpe County boys cross country team poses for a photo with its first-place region trophy in Social Circle, Georgia, on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023. The Patriots placed first of four teams in the varsity boys 5K, with the team's first five runners finishing in the top 10. (Photo/Cassidy Hettesheimer)