By Fred Kroner
The state’s top-ranked boys’ Class 1A cross-country team lived up to its billing on Saturday (Oct. 23), racing to team honors in the nine-school Chrisman Regional.
All five of the Spartans’ scoring runners landed spots in the top-10 in a race with 74 runners.
Three seniors finished back-to-back-to-back.
Charlie Mabry was fourth, finishing the 3-mile course in 16 minutes, 33 seconds. He was a step in front of Luke Stegall, who was fourth in 16:34.
Taking fifth was Elijah Mock (16:50.4).
SJ-O packed its top five runners within 30 seconds of one another.
Juniors Payton Wendell (eighth in 16:56.4) and Ethan Blackburn (10th in 17:03.0) were the school’s other scoring runners.
Just behind the lead pack were two Spartan sophomores, Aden Armstrong (14th in 17:16.2) and Holden Jones (18th in 17:40.3).
SJ-O’s team composite score was 33 points. Runner-up Paxton-Buckley-Loda ended with a total of 79 points. Third-place Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin had a score of 85 points.
The regional championship was the 14th in the history of the boys’ cross-country program and the third in the last six years.
SJ-O returns to action on Saturday (Oct 30) in the Decatur St. Teresa Sectional at Hickory Point Golf Club.
