Smith and Cerpovicz win first place in 2023 Knotty Pine 5K

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On the morning of May 6, 2023, runners came to Swainsboro for the 22nd running of the Knotty Pine 5K Race as part of the Pine Tree Festival. The 5K was sponsored by the Swainsboro Kiwanis Club, who provided logistics and support for the race. Last year the start/finish line was moved to the corner of Pine and Green Streets and the route changed to run mainly on Moring Street. This year the same route was used. This year as last year, SAR members Dess Smith and Steve Burke assisted Swainsboro Police Chief Randy Ellison in firing a starting cannon. The 1st place overall winner in the 5K male division was Mike Smith from Statesboro, GA with a time of 21 minutes and 7 seconds, while the overall winner in the female division was Anita Cerpovicz also from Statesboro in a time of 28 minutes and 17 seconds. The 1st place master’s male winner was Jason Martin from East Dublin, GA, with a time of 22 minutes and 25 seconds and Kellye Thurman from Swainsboro, GA was 1st place in the master’s female division with a time of 32 minutes and 4 seconds.

Age group winners in the male division were: age 10 and under, 1st place Charley McNeely in 25 minutes and 56 seconds, 2nd place Reese McNeely in 31 minutes and 11 seconds, and 3rd place Kellan McNeely in 31 minutes and 12 seconds; age 11 to 19, 1st place Evan Rogers in 21 minutes and 26 seconds, 2nd place Brantley Smith in 22 minutes and 29 seconds, and 3rd place Peyton Taylor in 23 minutes and 30 seconds; age 20 to 29, 1st place Noah Aholelei, in 23 minutes and 28 seconds, 2nd place Andrew Anderson in 32 minutes and 35 seconds, and 3rd place Jared Sapp in 32 minutes and 35 seconds; age 30-39, 1st place Martin Neal in 21 minutes and 54 seconds, 2nd place James Webb in 23 minutes and 24 seconds, and 3rd place Roscoe Parker in 46 minutes and 23 seconds; age 40 to 49, 1st place Jason Edenfield in 29 minutes and 44 seconds; age 50-59, 1st place Kevin Faircloth in 29 minutes and 31 seconds; age 60 to 69, 1st place Steve Stiegman in 36 minutes and 40 seconds; age 70 and older, 1st place Tom Lamb 25 minutes and 29 seconds and 2nd place John Torpy in 39 minutes and 43 seconds.

Age group winners in the female division were: age 10 and under, 1st place Brooklyn Lewis in 33 minutes and 21 seconds, 2nd place Rachelle Stoltzfus in 37 minutes and 37 seconds, and 3rd place Julianne Way in 43 minutes and 37 seconds; age 11 to 19, 1st place in 30 minutes and 31 seconds and 2nd place Lauren Sapp in 48 minutes and 55 seconds; age 20 to 29, 1st place Ami Scott in 48 minutes and 8 seconds; age 30-39, 1st place Harriet Smith in 29 minutes and 14 seconds, 2nd place Joni McNeely in 31 minutes and 53 seconds, and 3rd place Rebecca McNeely in 32 minutes and 9 seconds; age 50-59, 1st place Beth Lane in 37 minutes and 18 seconds and Alexandra Flowers in 46 minutes and 1 second; age 60-69, 1st place Beverly Walker in 34 minutes and 57 seconds, 2nd place Barbara Ervin in 43 minutes and 4 seconds, and 3rd place Dee Whitehead in 43 minutes and 36 seconds; and age 70 and over, 1st place Carol Edwards in 42 minutes and 40 seconds.

The Swainsboro Kiwanis Club would like to give a special thanks to our sponsors; Domino’s Pizza, Haddock Chiropractic, Harvey’s, ShopRite, Statesboro Coca-Cola Bottling, Swainsboro Ford, Swainsboro Raceway, Swainsboro Internal Medical Clinic, Walmart, and Ware’s Bar-B-Que. A special thanks also to the Swainsboro Police Department for all the assistance as they kept our runners safe even with all the people around for the Pine Tree Festival. Complete results of the runs can be found on the Swainsboro Kiwanis Club website at swainsborokiwanis.org and the Pine Tree Festival page at pinetreefestival.org.

Just Keep Running and Run Fast, Run Hard, and Run Safe!