Hawks, Spartans state XC champs; FHS, Webb girls 2nd
Four HVA boys in top 10; Webb boys roll as champs; Lady Spartans 2 points from No. 1; Lady Ads close
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Head coach Bryan Brown, far left, joins his Hardin Valley Academy Hawks Division I Large boys state champions. From left are Mitchell McCown, Daniel Blackston, Isaac Legault, Andrew Schultz, Sam Brophy, Nate Lawson, Kaden Keller, Alex Brittain, Nate Hillis, Ivan Bell, Asa Mazow, coach Mike Spooner and Timmy Barbo. - Photos submitted
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Webb boys cross country team captains with their TSSAA Division II-A state championship trophy, from left, are Austin Rea, Connor Brunson, Marcus Orton (holding trophy) and Carson Davis. Erin Jones, Lady Spartans team captain, holds the girls Division II-A runner-up state title trophy. - Photos submitted
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Chelsea Osborne, second from left, FHS girls cross country head coach, with assistant coaches and team runners celebrating a Division I-Large state runner-up finish. Team members, in no order, are Caroline Carr, Lexi Foley, Bridget Ebbert, Melanie Hayman, Camryn Johnson, Kendall Johnson and Kennedy Reynolds. - Photos submitted
HENDERSONVILLE — Both Farragut and Webb School of Knoxville came painfully close to capturing TSSAA girls cross country state titles last week at Sanders Ferry Park.
The Lady Admirals claimed the Division I Large state runner-up trophy, finishing just 11 points behind state champ Brentwood (101 versus 112).
“Going into the state meet I wanted to challenge the girls to be more aggressive. It was our first time seeing most of these teams and I knew, if we went out a bit more aggressively from the start, we could make a run at a podium finish,” FHS head coach Chelsea Osborne said. “I’ve been really impressed with how Grace Lathrop and Camryn Johnson have been racing the past few weeks.”
Top individual finishers were juniors Lathrop (19th) and Johnson (23rd), freshman Melanie Hayman (31st) and junior Lexi Foley (32nd).
The Lady Spartans were even closer in Division II-A, falling two points short against St. George’s (64 versus 66).
“Our girls fought through some nicks and pains, and they ended up excelling,” said Webb head coach Bobby Holcombe, whose team was led by freshman Anna Graves’ third-place finish (19:46). Freshman Lauren Davis was 20th, junior Lily Slade 22nd. junior Lawson Phillips 23rd and freshman Reese Wilson 29th.
Hardin Valley Academ was eighth (208) led by freshman Maddie Archdale, Region 2 Large champ, who was 12th.
HENDERSONVILLE — With dominant team performances, Hardin Valley Academy and Webb School of Knoxville boys cross country teams each walked away with a TSSAA state championship trophy last week at Sanders Ferry Park.
Hardin Valley won the boys program’s second state championship (also in 2010), decisively claiming the Division I-Large crown versus runner-up Franklin, 33 versus 134, Thursday, Nov. 5.
“We’ve had this date circled on our calendar for the whole season,” HVA head coach Bryan Brown said.
With four top-10 finishers at state, “That’s the most that we’ve had in one year,” Brown said.
The Hawks were led by Region 2 Large champ Kaden Keller, a junior who finished fourth (15:52.61). Senior Andrew Schultz was close behind in sixth (16:12.83) followed in seventh by Hawks teammate Nathan Hillis, a junior (16:13.85). Mitchell McCown, a junior, captured 10th place (16:15.19).
Senior Alex Brittain finished 23rd.
Webb also state champs
The Spartans, runner-up last season, captured the Division II-A title, 45-60 versus runner-up Harding Academy, Friday, Nov. 6.
“We had good senior leadership,” Webb head coach Bobby Holcombe said. “... This year, the seniors and juniors were really stepping up.”
Senior Austin Rhea’s third-place finish (16:52.23) paced Webb, followed by junior Kaden Narayani claiming fifth place (16:58.50), senior Marc Orton finishing 15th, junior Billy Robinson 22nd and sophomore Hank Johnson 28th.
Farragut was fourth (164).
The Admirals had two sophomores place in the top 25, led by Trevor Coggin’s ninth-place finish (16:14.80). Riley Hanson was 22nd.
Also in Division II-A, Christian Academy of Knoxville had two top 30 finishes: senior Andrew Cross 12th and sophomore Ethan Coffey 27th.
