Brookstone prevails after finishing second in the area the past three years

They had finished second the past three years. This time, they prevailed.

The Brookstone Cougars won the Georgia Class A private school Area 1 boys cross country championship Wednesday at First Presbyterian Day School in Macon.

Three of the top six finishers are from two-time defending champion Savannah Christian, but six Cougars finished ahead of Savannah Christian’s fourth runner.

No wonder Brookstone coach Mark Erb used one word to explain the winning difference: “Depth.”

“All five of our guys (who scored) came in less than a minute apart,” Erb said, “and that was a enough.”

When they walked the course before the race, it measured nearly 200 yards longer than the listed 5 kilometers, Erb said. Add the hilly terrain, he said, and it was the most treacherous course for the Cougars all season.

“It was brutal,” he said.

But the Cougars were tougher.

The five runners who scored for Brookstone out of 67 competitors are all seniors: Caleb Pattillo in fifth (19:03.41), Briggs Kalish in seventh (19:18.27), Sid Saber in 10th (19:28.75), Ryan Drew in 11th (19:55.74) and Noah Stenslie in 12th (19:58.03).

That added up to 45 points, beating Savannah Christian by 11 points. Pacelli finished eighth out of the 10 boys teams.

The Cougars will run in the Class A private school state championship race Nov. 2, starting at noon, at Carrollton.

Brookstone’s victory continued the team’s inspiring success as the Cougars have rallied around Erb, who is battling Parkinson’s disease. Last week, they won the program’s first city championship and dedicated the title to their coach.

In the nine-team Area 1 girls race Wednesday, Brookstone was seventh and Pacelli ninth. The top four teams qualify for the state meet.

Mark Rice, 706-576-6272, @MarkRiceLE.

This story was originally published October 24, 2018 at 9:17 PM.