Cross country: Banks boys, Dawson girls take 7-AAA titles

HOMER -- The Banks County boys and Dawson County girls won the Region 7-AAA cross country meet Tuesday on the Banks County home course.<br /> <br /> For the boys, Banks County finished with 40 points edging West Hall, which had 53 points. Dawson County was third with 63 and Lumpkin County fourth with 110 points. <br /> <br /> In the girls meet, Dawson County had just 37 points to 63 points for second place Fannin County. Banks County had 65 points for third and Lumpkin County finished fourth with 90 points.<br /> <br /> The top four teams qualified for the state meet next week in Carrollton.<br /> <br /> In the individual boys race, Jose Diaz of Banks County won the region title. Fellow Leopard Beau Rush took second while Jacob Poston of Dawson County was third. Lumpkin's Tristin Duckworth was fourth and Enrique Ochoa of East Hall was fifth. Kelvin Reyes was the highest West Hall finisher in seventh and Eldin Barahona was 10th for the Spartans.<br /> <br /> In the girls individual race, Makayla Hewell of Banks County won the title with Kaelyn Deal of Fannin County taking second. Dawson County's Marley Hamby was third, Celeste Norton of Lumpkin County was fourth, and Hailey Cheves of Fannin County was fifth.