By Andy Carr
Milton, GA
Eagle Cross Country Runners Caroline Spain & Everett Lawder were both awarded last week for their accomplishments during the 2025 season.
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Senior captain Caroline Spain, fresh off her 8th place at the GHSA 5A state championship meet, earned a spot on the Atlanta Track Club’s All-Metro team. The 2nd largest running club in the US recognizes 21 girls every year as their top-cross country runners in the Atlanta Metro area. Spain is the first Lady Eagle on the All-Metro team since 2020’s Nyah Hernandez. For the 2025 season, Spain won the Apalachee Invitational, was 5th at the Milton Invite, 27th at the Southern Showcase in Huntsville, Alabama & was 13th at the Track Club’s Wingfoot meet. She closed out her season with a 3rd at Pickens, was the Region 7-5A champion at the sectionals meet running the 2nd best time in Milton school history (18:26) before her podium run at the state meet leading Milton to a 5th place team finish. She is undecided on her college plans but plans to run wherever she goes.
Fellow senior captain Everett Lawder was recognized as a Strider for the Season in cross country by the West Stride Running Store in Atlanta. West Stride is highly regarded as one of the best running stores in the nation & a big supporter of high school cross country in the metro-Atlanta area. After starting the season late due to an injury, Lawder was 75th at Southern Showcase, 45th at the ASICS Invite, 17th at Wingfoot & then eventually was Milton’s top-runner as he finished 8th at the 5A sectionals meet and in the process won the Region 7-5A title & his time of 15:38 made him the 8th best performer in school history. At the state meet Lawder improved on his time & place from the 2024 meet by finishing 7th & on the podium to lead the Eagles to a 6th place team finish. Lawder has signed to run at Tennessee Tech next fall.
