South Warren Cross Country wins eighth-straight girls’ region title at Ephraim White
By Perry Swack
The South Warren girls’ cross country team cruised to a 25-point victory over the field at the Class 3A, Region 2 meet this weekend at Ephraim White Park. Placing three runners in the top seven and five in the top thirteen, the Lady Spartans clinched an eighth-straight region championship dating back to 2016.
Coach Steve Eaton’s team was led by freshman Katelyn Best, junior Hayley Best, and senior Ryleigh Johnson who each finished fifth, sixth, and seventh. The freshman Best ran a time of 19:39, followed by the junior’s 19:48, and Johnson’s 19:54. Seniors Anslee Crosby and Abby Overbay (2021 region champ) finished twelfth and thirteenth with times of 20:32 and 20:36 respectively.
Greenwood finished runner-up for a third-consecutive season as Claire Ellington and Charlotte Johnson placed eighth and ninth with times of 20:00 and 20:17. The Lady Gators placed three more runners in the top 20 as Lily Clark (20:42), Allie Doran (21:12), and Finley Johnson (21:19) helped Greenwood hold off Barren County. The Trojanettes qualified for the state meet with three runners finishing in the top 11, led by region champion Chesney McPherson. McPherson’s time of 17:53 was not only nearly 45 seconds faster than second place, it also was 35 seconds faster than her time in the 2022 meet (which she also won). Sophomore Gracie Reed placed third for a third-straight region meet with a time of 18:52. Freshman Adeline Coleman finished eleventh overall (20:27).
Bowling Green also qualified for the Class 3A state meet for the first time since 2020 as the Lady Purples finished fourth overall. BG was led by junior Kathryn Harris’ 5K time of 19:29. Freshman Stella Miner ran the race in 21:00 to place 16th.
On the boys’ side, Greenwood and South Warren qualified for the state meet by way of finishing second and fourth as a team. Barren County junior Brody Miller placed third overall with a time of 16:20, while Greenwood senior Jacob Johnston ran a 16:35 to place fifth. South Warren senior Smith Carter (17:02), Greenwood junior Andrew Champion (17:03), and Gator sophomore Lucas Gann (17:11) rounded out area finishers in the top ten.
Area finishers in the top 20 included South’s Calixto Alvarez (13th, 17:33), Bowling Green’s Simon Basham (17th, 18:01), and Greenwood’s Drake Weaver (20th, 18:10). Miller and Basham qualified for the state event as individuals.
The Class 3A state meet will be at Kentucky Horse Park on Saturday with the boys’ meet beginning around 2:45pm and the girls’ meet beginning around 3:30pm. Both times are EST.
