County XC Championships feature young harriers

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — The future of long distance running in the High Country may well have played out on Oct. 25 with the Watauga County Cross Country Championships. Boys and girls competed in separate divisions across three age groupings: kindergarten through 2nd grade, 3rd through 5th grades, and 6th through 8th grade.

Here are selected highlights from the different age groupings:

Girls: K-2, 1.1 mile run (Top 10 of 24 competing)

1. 1. Lila Carter, 2nd grade, Valle Crucis
   2. Camille McFall, 2nd, Blowing Rock
   3. Avril Parkin, 2nd, Blowing Rock
   4. Hannah Arnold, 1st, Grace Academy
   5. Ana Hair, Kindergarten, Two Rivers
   6. Arianna Liu, 1st, Hardin Park
   7. Olivia Gregory, 1st, Two Rivers
   8. Amelia Pipes, 1st, Imagine Bilingual
   9. Ruby Sharp, 2nd, Grace Academy
   10. Eliza Foster, 1st, Grace Academy

Team Rankings: 1st – Blowing Rock; 2nd – Grace Academy; 3rd – Two Rivers; 4th – Hardin Park; 5th – Parkway

Boys: K-2, 1.1 mile run (Top 10 of 35 competing)

1. 1. Weston Galy, 2nd, Grace Academy
   2. Adoniah Philips, 2nd, Blowing Rock
   3. Cale van der Westhuizen, 2nd, Grace Academy
   4. Caleb Hukill, 1st, Blowing Rock
   5. Ellis Arnold, 2nd, Grace Academy
   6. Ezra Willingham, 1st, Grace Academy
   7. Elias Edmisten, 2nd, Hardin Park
   8. Abram Daniels, 2nd, Grace Academy
   9. Beau Brannock, 2nd, Hardin Park
   10. Matthew James, 2nd, Hardin Park

Team Rankings: 1st – Grace Academy; 2nd – Blowing Rock; 3rd – Hardin Park; 4th – Cove Creek; 5th – Two Rivers

Girls: 3rd-5th grade, 1.5 mile run (Top 10 of 22 competing)

1. 1. 1. Kate James Moore, 5th, Parkway
      2. Maia Carter, 5th, Valle Crucis
      3. Cora Taft, 4th, Grace Academy
      4. Avery Willingham, 3rd, Grace Academy
      5. Charlotte Moore, 3rd, Parkway
      6. Adeline Greer, 5th, Grace Academy
      7. Josie Anderson, 4th, Grace Academy
      8. Hadley Harward, 3rd, Grace Academy
      9. Finley Brindle, 1st, Two Rivers
      10. Anna Brooks Heistand, 5th, Grace Academy

Team Rankings: 1st – Parkway; 2nd – Grace Academy; 3rd – Valle Crucis; 4th – Two Rivers

Boys: 3rd-5th grade, 1.5 mile run (Top 10 of 39 competing)

1. 1. Anos Templeton, 5th, Hardin Park
   2. Evan Gordon, 5th, Grace Academy
   3. Micah Arnold, 4th, Grace Academy
   4. Philip Templeton, 5th, Hardin Park
   5. Brandon Gordon, 4th, Grace Academy
   6. Owen Galy, 5th, Grace Academy
   7. Colin McFall, 5th, Blowing Rock
   8. Orson Cornett, 5th, Homeschool
   9. Patrick Walker, 5th, Homeschool
   10. Landon Everett, 4th, Blowing Rock

Team Rankings: 1st – Grace Academy; 2nd – Hardin Park; 3rd – Blowing Rock; 4th – Homeschool; 5th – Parkway; 6th – Tailwind; 7th – Two Rivers

Girls: 6th-8th grades, 2-mile run (Top 10 of 17 competing)

1. 1. Cali Townsend, 8th, Parkway
   2. Lainey Johnston, 8th, Hardin Park
   3. Carrie Magdalena Visser, 8th, Cove Creek
   4. Julian Martin, 8th, Valle Crucis
   5. Grace Scantlin, 7th, Imagine Bilingual
   6. Katherine Rex, 8th, Blowing Rock
   7. Evangeline Perry, 7th, Homeschool
   8. Savannah Moretz, 7th, Hardin Park
   9. Eva Hannon, 6th, Parkway
   10. Lily Kimbrough, 7th, Hardin Park

Team Rankings: 1st – Hardin Park; 2nd – Parkway; 3rd – Blowing Rock; 4th – Imagine Bilingual

Boys: 6th-8th grades, 2-mile run (Top 10 of 12 competing)

1. 1. Andres Roman, 8th, Hardin Park
   2. Grady Gates, 8th, Valle Crucis
   3. Brian Newmark, 8th, Hardin Park
   4. Scott Hayes, 6th, Homeschool
   5. Corin Kiser, 4th, Homeschool
   6. Elijah Cain, 8th, Grace Academy
   7. Kellan Wood, 7th, Grace Academy
   8. Camden Masland, 8th, Two Rivers
   9. Eli Kroll, 6th, Blowing Rock
   10. Mike Dixon, 6th, Imagine Bilingual

Team Rankings: 1st – Hardin Park; 2nd – Homeschool; 3rd – Grace Academy; 4th – Two Rivers