Charlotte, N.C., November 26, 2005 – Michael Eaton of Bowling Green, Ky., and Nichole Jones of Houston, Texas, won the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships (FLCCC) South Regional at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, N.C., today.
           In the boys' race, Michael Eaton, a senior from Greenwood High School, claimed the lead midway through the race taking a 20-yard lead and never looked back to win the regional title in 14:46.  Daniel Gerber of The Woodlands, Texas, finished in second place in 14:51 and Jack Bolas of Chapel Hill, N.C., placed third in 14:54. 
           Eaton, a two-time FLCCC qualifier, finished eighth in last year's regional race and went on to finish 33^rd at the Nationals. Gerber, a senior at The Woodlands High School, is a first-time FLCCC national qualifier.  Bolas, a senior at Chapel Hill High School and a two-time FLCCC qualifier, placed fifth in last year's regional race and advanced to the Nationals where he finished in 31^st place.
          In the girls' race, a pack of runners dominated the field early on setting a fast pace of 5:32 at the one-mile mark and 11:00 at the two-mile mark.  Halfway through the race, a group of ten runners broke from the pack staying tightly together, until Nichole Jones of Houston, Texas, charged forward with 600 meters remaining to claim the lead and win in 17:10.  Four-time National Qualifier Kate Niehaus from Columbia, S.C., placed second in 17:15, slightly ahead of two-time National Qualifier Aurora Scott from Portsmouth, Va., who finished third in 17:15. 
          The runners enjoyed good racing conditions, with temperatures in the mid-40s and minimal winds.
           The top ten boys and top ten girls qualified to compete against runners from three other regional meets in the 27^th Annual Foot Locker Cross Country Championships National Finals, which will take place on Saturday, Dec. 10 at Balboa Park in San Diego, Calif. 

Boys

Girls