MISSISSIPPI STATE MEET

Pearl Sweeps 6A Team Titles; 5A Standouts Balcer and Biancamano Run Fastest Times At Choctaw Trails

By Mary Albl of DyeStat 

(6A/4A/2A Monday)

Monday afternoon at the Mississippi State High School Cross Country Championships, the Pearl boys and girls started off the meet with a bang, sweeping the Class 6A team titles. Led by a first-place finish from senior Daeja Davis (18:54.31), the Pearl girls placed four runners in the top 10, and all five in the top 15 to edge out defending champion Hernando, 42-49, on a revamped course at the Choctaw Trails in Jackson.

The boys repeated as winners, with freshman Tanner Moore leading the way with a third-place finish. Pearl had four runners finish in the top 15. Individually, Oxford’s Chase Rose won the race in a time of 15:51.59.

In 4A action, the Corinth boys and girls repeated as state champions. The Corinth girls had six runners in the top 20 to score 49 points. Sophomore Hannah Sanders of Mooreville won the race in 20:19.33, while senior Raychel Sanders was second in 20:26.68. Mooreville was the runner-up with 90 points. 

The Corinth boys rolled to their fifth straight title with 58 points as four runners finished in the top 20. Saint Stanis’ Keegan Leverett, a junior, defended his title, winning in 16:11.16, more than a minute faster than his winning time a year ago. 

The Saint Patrick girls and boys swept the 2A titles. The girls repeated easily with 35 points with senior Isabel Leatherman leading the way with a second-place finish (20:30.35). Loyd Star junior Aubrey Britt defended her title, crossing the line in 20:10.14.

The Saint Patrick boys held off defending champion Walnut, 60-73, with five runners finishing in the top 19 overall. St. Joseph Madison’s William Fugate, a freshman, won the race in 16:58.77, more than a minute faster than the runner-up.   

(5A/3A/1A Saturday)

Saturday at the Choctaw Trails, the battle for Class 5A supremacy was a fight to the finish as the Brookhaven boys held off Saltillo to claim the program’s second straight championship. Led by junior Grayson Childress’ runner-up finish (16:27.8), Brookhaven placed five runners in the top nine to edge out Saltillo, 29-36. Individually, East Central’s Christian Balcer easily defended his title with an all-classes best time of 15:15.4. 

The 5A girls race was a very similar scenario to last as Long Beach's Brooklyn Biancamano won her fourth straight individual title, crossing the line in an impressive time of 18:15.6. The Saltillo girls were near perfect, scoring 22 points to win the program’s sixth consecutive team title and 11th in the last 12 years. Senior Madison Jones led the team with her third straight runner-up finish (18:43.3), as Saltillo had six runners finish in the top nine. 

Led by freshman Austin Winstead’s first-place finish (18:08.3), the Senatobia boys repeated as 3A champs, scoring 23 points with all five runners finishing in the top seven. 

After a close runner-up finish a year ago, the Kossuth girls reclaimed the 3A crown, edging out St. Andrew’s 41-43. Despite a 1-2 finish from St. Andrew’s, Kossuth managed to put four runners in the top eight. St. Andrew’s Emily Ireland repeated as state champion, crossing the line in 20:01.3. 

In 1A action, Tupelo Christian Prep swept the team titles again. The boys were led by senior Causey Simmons’ first-place finish in 17:43. The team had three runners in the top five to claim the program’s fifth straight championship. Tupelo Christian junior Abigail Craft won the race in 19:54.1, while teammate and last year’s winner, Sophie Santucci was runner-up.

Team Champions

Class 6A: Pearl boys 59 points; Pearl girls 42 points - RESULTS

Class 5A: Brookhaven boys 29 points; Saltillo girls 22 points - RESULTS

Class 4A: Corinth boys 58 points; Corinth girls 42 points - RESULTS

Class 3A: Senatobia boys 23 points; Kossuth girls 41 points - RESULTS

Class 2A: Saint Patrick boys 60 points; Saint Patrick girls 35 points - RESULTS

Class 1A: Tupelo Christian Prep boys 41 points; Tupelo Christian Prep girls 27 points - RESULTS