Rockdale girls advance

By JEFF GILLESPIE
jeff.gillespie@rockdalecitizen.com 

GAINESVILLE — The Rockdale girls clinched a berth in the AAAA State Cross Country 
Championship with a top-eight finish in the Class AAAA Sectional meet on Saturday at 
Gainesville College.
The Lady Bulldogs made school history, claiming the eighth and final spot for state. 
It’s the first time the Rockdale Girls cross country team has qualified for the state meet.
Carys Fincher’s seventh-place run in 21:40 paced the Lady Bulldogs. Kayla Johnson in 
28th, Katie Johnson in 48th, Alicia Bellis in 52nd and Jenna Williamson in 61st rounded 
out Rockdale’s top five.
“We are very excited to have extended our season. The girls have worked extremely hard to 
reach state,” said Rockdale coach Chad Suddeth. “All their hard work has paid off in our 
school’s first trip to the state meet.”
The Class AAAA state meet will be run Saturday on the revamped course at Carrollton. The 
course had to be changed due to school construction.
The Patriots will participate in the Class AAAA boys meet at 10 a.m., while the Region 
8-AAAA champion Lady Patriots and the Lady Bulldogs will compete in the girls race at 10:30.