Whenever the Kentucky State Cross Country Record Holder is standing on the line of a race at a State meet, it is likely she is the favorite.Even with this huge target on her back, Emma Brink (Sacred Heart) still pulled out her second consecutive Kentucky State Cross Country Championship.In the end her only competition was the weather which prevented another state record from falling, still running an 18:37.64.Gabby Gonzales (Ryle) made a run at Brink, but ended up finishing third with an 18:54.75.Maggie Mattingly (John Hardin) started off slow after being boxed in and ended up passing everyone in front of her except Brink finished second with an 18:50.03.This is the fourth year in a row, Mattingly has finished in the Top 4 at State.
The ladies of Assumption lost to SacredHeartAcademy at the Academy Meet on October 25th.The Rockets then came back to win the Class AAA Region 4 Championship over Sacred Heart two weeks later.This set up a dual for the Kentucky State Title.Even with Sacred Heart’s Emma Brink winning the title, the pack of Assumption was too much.Assumption scored a 67 to win over Sacred Heart’s 83.Assumption was led by duo of Sara Davis 8th place 19:18.09 and Allison Riedling 9th place 19:23.81.The key component to Assumption winning was senior Hillary Raidt coming up big in the clutch with a 12th place finish 19:35.73.Paul Dunbar finished 3rd with 101 points helped by a fourth place finish by Megan Klein 18:57.57 and fifth place Amanda Hancock 19:01.85.
Class AAA Boys
Ryan Eaton (Greenwood) decided to run differently than what has become family tradition.Instead of running like a mad man to the front like that other Eaton fellow he ran with the pack.At the two mile, Jackson Carnes (St. Xavier) was in the lead followed a pack of Eaton, Stacey Eden (ShelbyCounty), Justin House (Apollo), and Thomas Mann (St. Xavier.)When the pack looped back to the area by the 2 mile it was Eaton, Eden, and Carnes.At the peak of the final hill, it was Eaton alone.He crossed the line in 15:55.70 running the fastest time of the day.Eden crossed second with a 16:02.72.Carnes was third with a 16:03.63.In fourth was Joey Brendel (Conner) with a 16:08.24.
The team race looked to be a DaviessCounty vs. Trinity match-up.St. Xavier decided to join the party.Early on there was a lot of green in the front, but at the end the red of Daviess County shined through winning with a score of 98 over St. Xavier 113 and Trinity 118.DaviessCounty was led by Landon Taylor’s ninth place finish with a 16:19.98.St. Xavier was led by Carnes 3rd place and Thomas Mann 5th place 16:11.18.Sophomore Jake Wildenmann helped Trinity with his 12th place finish 16:27.03