Brentwood, Broughton lead charge in SE

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

NXN Southeast Entries | 2012 Results

When they met at Great American back on Oct. 5, the Brentwood-Broughton matchup didn't really come off. Almost two months later, those two schools return to Wake Med Soccer Complex in Cary, N.C. to decide the best team in the Southeast. 

Brentwood of Tennessee won the Great American Cross Country Festival with 99 points. Needham Broughton of North Carolina was seventh that day but No.1 William Roberson suffered a quad strain and didn't finish.

Both teams went on to excellent regular seasons and are perhaps two of the best teams of all-time in their respective states. Brentwood's front-running trio of Alec and Aaron Thomas and Taylor Caldwell can run with any in the country.

Beyond those two, St. Xavier of Kentucky leads a big group of teams who go to the starting line with hope, among them: Tatnall (Del.), St. Pius X (Ga.), Severna Park (Md.), Battlefield (Va.), Lake Braddock (Va.), Midlothian (Va.) and James Robinson (Va.).

Brent Demarest from Porter-Gaud School in South Carolina is one of the top individuals in the race and should be in, or near, the lead pack. (He's on the entry list of FL South as well, so who knows).

The girls team competition features Blacksburg of Virginia, Assumption of Kentucky, and Green Hope and Cardinal Gibbons of North Carolina. (Virginia 6A champion Oakton is not entered).

Blacksburg won the state's 3A title with 35 points and had a 19:03 average. Assumption won Kentucky's 3A title and is led by Emily Bean and Bailey Davis. 

Top individuals in the race include Eliza Dekker from the Durhan Academy (N.C.) and Madisyn Peeples, a freshman phenom from Bowling Green (Ky.).