PREP CROSS COUNTRY: Local teams, individuals shine at sectional meets, earn state bids

Published 2:10 pm Friday, November 3, 2023

Several local cross country teams and runners punched their tickets to the state meet following exceptional performances on the trials Thursday.

Athens Bible’s Kaylie Key, Athens’ Catherine Johnstone, James Clemens’ Luke Alverson and James Clemens’ Kylie Gero each won their respective races — with Athens’ girls and James Clemens’ boys both earning team titles. Athens Bible and James Clemens’ girls finished runner-up in their respective divisions.

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The top four squads in each sectional — as well as the top six runners not tied to those teams — advance to the state meet, which will take place next Saturday at the Oakville Indian Mounds. See below for a complete breakdown of each local program’s sectional performance and state qualifiers. Only the top five runners are provided for advancing squads, though they’ll be represented by up to 10 runners at the state competition.

BoysClass 1A/2A, Section 4Team: Athens Bible

Result: Seventh

Qualifiers: Ethan Barnes (17th), Luke Murrell (26th)

Team: Lindsay Lane

Result: N/A

Qualifiers: None

Team: Tanner

Result: Eighth

Qualifiers: None

Class 3A, Section 4

Team: Clements

Result: Fifth

Qualifiers: Ethan Braden (14th)

Team: Elkmont

Result: Ninth

Qualifiers: Andy Hinkle (fourth), Daniel Christ (18th)

Class 4A, Section 4Team: West Limestone

Result: 11th

Qualifiers: None

Class 5A, Section 4Team: Ardmore

Result: Fifth

Qualifiers: Tyler Morring (13th), Henry Singleton (16th), Will Ivey (18th)

Team: East Limestone

Result: 12th

Qualifiers: None

Class 6A, Section 6Team: Athens

Result: Seventh

Qualifiers: None

Class 7A, Section 4Team: James Clemens

Result: First

Qualifiers: Luke Alverson (first), Cole Robinson (second), Dylan Dryer (fifth), Andrew Gohlich (ninth), Ronan Barnes (10th)

Girls

Class 1A/2A, Section 4Team: Athens Bible

Result: Second

Qualifiers: Kaylie Key (first), Kylie Murrell (third), Macy Weatherford (15th), Destiny Burns (19th), Lucy Fielder (30th)

Team: Lindsay Lane

Result: N/A

Qualifiers: None

Team: Tanner

Result: N/A

Qualifiers: None

Class 3A, Section 4Team: Clements

Result: N/A

Qualifiers: Emma O’Connor (fifth), Joclyn Foxworthy (11th)

Team: Elkmont

Result: N/A

Qualifiers: Cheyenne Usery (14th)

Class 4A, Section 4Team: West Limestone

Result: Fifth

Qualifiers: Bailee Corum (20th)

Class 5A, Section 4Team: Ardmore

Result: N/A

Qualifiers: Addison Tiemann (third), Maggie Zirbel (27th)

Team: East Limestone

Result: N/A

Qualifiers: None

Class 6A, Section 6Team: Athens

Result: First

Qualifiers: Catherine Johnstone (first), Hannah Stevens (fifth), Caroline Mallette (seventh), Kate Sanders (ninth), Dania Leon (18th)

Class 7A, Section 4

Team: James Clemens

Result: Second

Qualifiers: Kylie Gero (first), Emma Bothern (third), Makenzie Parker (ninth), Ella Carter (12th), Ashlyn Diehl (19th)