CARY -- The two strong favorites in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A Mideast cross country regional did not disappoint. Neither did two of its marquee individuals.
But one thing was certain on Saturday. The real finish line for those top teams and runners wasn't at WakeMed Park in Cary.
The focus is on how they do in next week's state 4A meet at Beeson Park in Kernersville.
Green Hope's girls, the two-time defending 4A champs, and Broughton's boys came away with regional team titles.
The Falcons placed five runners in the top nine, led by third-place Erica Amatori (18:22).
Broughton's top runner was Mideast champ Sam Roberson (15:43), who defeated runner-up Bakri Abushouk of Cary by 16 seconds.
The Capitals's 55 points were well ahead of East Chapel Hill's runner-up score of 120.
"My plan was just to go out at the mile mark and don't relent, keep pushing," Roberson said. "We won conference and regionals, but our real goal is state."
Millbrook's Samantha George (17:48) won the girls race. After finishing second in last year's 4A championships, the senior modeled her running style in a way that would keep her fresh for next week.
"I just wanted to stay with the leaders and the pack, not trying to kill it too much, try to save myself for states next week," George said. "But I was feeling really good halfway in, so I decided to pick it up a little and it just took it from there."
The top four teams and the top five individuals who were not on those teams advance to state competition. Broughton, Millbrook and Apex - which beat out Panther Creek by two points - rounded out the qualifying girls teams. On the boys side, a sixth-place tiebreaker gave Cary third place after tying Panther Creek.
Panther Creek's Rebekah Greengrass (second, 18:12) and Dana Cox, East Chapel Hill's Pegah Kamrani, Athens Drive's Brianne Boldrin and Middle Creek's Emilee Hensel advanced as individual girls runners. On the boys side, Millbrooks' Richard Miller and Drew Navarro, Enloe's Jack Sajovec, Sanderson's Billy Fetzner and Northern Durham's Colton Lawson will also advance to states as individual runners.
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Nearby 2A prep softball rivals North Johnston and Wilson Beddingfield played the ultimate grudge match Saturday afternoon, double-time style. 
Holly Springs seniors Jenna Firestein and Kristen Krebs knew Saturday’s contest against Fayetteville Jack Britt would be their final home game as members of the Golden Hawks softball team. 
Green Hope’s perfect season is snatched away by Charlotte Hough in the final 12 minutes of the state final at N.C. State’s Dail Soccer Field in a 2-1 finish. 
The Holly Springs Golden Hawks softball team has had an exciting past week of playing close games. On Friday, however, the Hawks fourth close game in a week ended in a 3-2 loss to Britt, as the Buccaneers rallied with two runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score and then won in the eighth to even the series at one game apiece. 
The Green Hope High girls soccer team is ranked No. 1 in the country, but won’t reach its goal unless it beats Hough in the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A championships on Saturday.
Follow the game on our Twitter account, @prepsnow or get a Twitter feed at our high school blog, Preps Now. 
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First Look: Mideast regional cross country | 10.29.11 (75 images)
