By GALE CAVNESS
pressbox1.com

NEWBERN - Three years ago, Dyer County cross country coach Melissa Ray and her team got a taste of success.

With some healthy veterans and a strong mix of youngsters, the Lady Choctaws and their mentor are hungry again.

The girls wearing orange continued to add more hardware to an already sparkling campaign Tuesday by taking top honors on their own campus, besting 13 visiting teams in the Dyer County Invitational. Chelsey Roberson and Holly Johnson finished 1-2 to take individual honors and the Lady Choctaws ran away with the top prize in team totals, as well.

With the wins at home, the current DC girls’ team is unbeaten against regional foes. In 2004, the Lady Choctaws won the region crown.

Two roller coaster seasons followed, but the 2007 squad is back on top and aiming high.

"It feels good to be on top," Ray said following Tuesday’s event. "To be considered the best in the region is a great feeling. I know our heads are the ones on the chopping block, but that’s what happens when you get the program where you want it to be."

Following a strong performance Saturday in the Tennessee Classic in Nashville, the Dyer County coach also knows she has some athletes who can compete on the state level, too.

Roberson, a freshman sensation, won Tuesday’s meet in 22:09 with Johnson, a senior stalwart, right behind her in 22:25. On Saturday, Roberson recorded a time of 21:26 to finish 10th against the state’s elite. Johnson also finished among the leaders with a time of 22:04.

Three other Dyer County seniors, Abby Long, Mallory Roberson and Heather Theilacker, ran well enough to help the team take fifth-place honors in Music City.

According to Ray, the best of the best made up the field of 175 runners in Nashville.

"I’m really proud of the girls," Ray added. "Everybody is working hard. Everybody is pushing, trying to get better."

A close-knit group, the coach knows she’s getting a boost from a squad that is supportive and determined to improve together.

"They’re very close," she explained. "They work well together. They want to do it for each other."

The Lady Choctaws won Tuesday’s team competition with a point total of 23, running away from runner-up Obion County Central’s total of 71. Dyersburg finished in third place with 73 points. Closing out the top five teams in the overall standings were Hardin County (89) and Trinity Christian Academy (124).

In much closer competition, the Trinity Christian Academy boys claimed the team title over 15 opposing schools with 73 points. Dyersburg and Munford each scored 84 points, but the Trojans were bumped to third place in a tie-breaking procedure that included the addition of the school’s sixth-place finisher. Taking fourth place was Dyer County (91), followed by Obion County Central (140).

McKenzie standout Mark Cole raced to a big victory in the boys’ competition with a time of 17:33. Dyersburg sophomore Andrew Sanders was the runner-up, crossing the finish line in 18:48. Dyer County freshman Aaron Montgomery finished fifth in 19:18.

The top 15 individual runners medaled in the event.

Also earning hardware in Newbern were Long, from Dyer County, and Trinity Christian’s Alex Waynescott, Anchor Award winners in girls’ and boys’ competition, respectively.

Chelsey Roberson paced the DC girls with her first-place time, followed by Johnson in second. Mallory Roberson finished fifth (23:47), Theilacker was 10th (24:52) with Long on her heels in 11th (24:53).

Sara Beth Byars paced the Dyersburg girls with a sixth-place finish (24:04), followed in seventh by teammate Paige Waldron (24:18). Despite battling a knee injury that has limited her participation throughout the season, Courtney Beckley finished the event in 15th place (26:03).

It was Beckley’s first complete race of the campaign.

Dyersburg’s boys got a huge lift from Sanders’ runner-up spot and also got medal-worthy efforts from two other participants. George Vasquez finished in seventh place (19:30), one position ahead of teammate Genaro Martinez (19:37).

Montgomery paced the Choctaws with his fifth-place effort. Other medalists were Tallon Scott (11th, 19:59) and Codi Moore (13th, 20:06).

GIRLS’ MEDALISTS

15 - Courtney Beckley, Dyersburg

14 - Hannah Scruton, McKenzie

13 - Rebecca Bartusiak, Munford

12 - Ashley Bates, Trinity Christian

11 - Abby Long, Dyer County

10 - Heather Theilacker, Dyer County

9 - Ashley Sparks, Hardin County

8 - Mandy McDaniel, Obion County

7 - Paige Waldron, Dyersburg

6 - Sara Beth Byars, Dyersburg

5 - Mallory Roberson, Dyer County

4 - Mitzi Murphree, Gibson County

3 - Heather Butler, Gibson County

2 - Holly Johnson, Dyer County

1 - Chelsey Roberson, Dyer County

BOYS’ MEDALISTS

15 - Blake Mascob, Trinity Christian

14 - Derek Sutherland, Obion County

13 - Codi Moore, Dyer County

12 - Nathan Montgomery, Trinity Christian

11 - Tallon Scott, Dyer County

10 - Brandon Williams, Lexington

9 - David Giles, Munford

8 - Genaro Martinez, Dyersburg

7 - George Vasquez, Dyersburg

6 - Cody Lemmons, Munford

5 - Aaron Montgomery, Dyer County

4 - Casey Burks, Hardin County

3 - Benji Sparks, Trinity Christian

2 - Andrew Sanders, Dyersburg

1 - Mark Cole, McKenzie