DeKalb Dash races to second place in first-ever meet

DeKalb Dash made its debut on Aug. 22, competing in the Strong Rock Patriot Cross Country Invitational in Locust Grove, Georgia.

In the first meet of the club’s inaugural season, the DeKalb Dash boys raced to a second-place team finish in a field of 20 teams in a 3,000-meter run.

Leading the way for DeKalb Dash was Zac Wejnert, who finished 12th overall, followed by Desmond Tchoukalov in 15th. Collin Heine placed 25th, Colin Bartee 36th, David Svoboda 40th, JR Graham 63rd, and Gavin Berelc 86th in a field of 230 runners.

For the girls, Eden Ballard led the charge and finished 19th overall with a time 14:55:31. Eleanor Lowefollowed up with 62nd-place finish with a time of 16:51:55 in a field of 160 runners.

The opening performance marks the beginning for the newly formed Decatur-area youth cross country club. DeKalb Dash athletes are guided by a coaching staff led by head coach Kevin Graham, Georgia Tech’s first Cross Country All-American, along with the other founding assistant coaches Carin Molchan, Don Beaudette, and JT Hall.

DeKalb Dash was created to promote running and cross country among young athletes in Decatur and the surrounding DeKalb County community while providing a positive environment for runners to develop their skills, confidence, and love of the sport, according to team organizers.

With its inaugural race now in the books—and a runner-up finish to show for it—DeKalb Dash has a chance to build on its strong start throughout the 2026 cross-country season.