Local cross-country runners shine at state and regional meets

Gracie Merritt finished 1.30 seconds ahead of her closest challenger for second place Friday, earning Wayne Country Day a state runner-up finish on a busy day of postseason cross-country racing.

Merritt completed the 5-kilometer NCISAA 1A girls championship in 21 minutes, 46.75 seconds at McAlpine Park in Charlotte. Bradford Academy’s Martha Crotts won in 20:57.80, while O’Neal’s Abigail Schupp finished third in 21:48.05.

Closer to home, South Lenoir’s boys and Spring Creek’s girls each placed second in the NCHSAA 3A East Regional at the Lenoir County Fairgrounds in Kinston. Both schools finished in the top three in the boys and girls team standings.

Wayne Country Day earns third in girls race

Merritt led Wayne Country Day to third place with 43 points in a tight three-team scoring field. Ridgecroft won with 38, one point ahead of Oakwood.

Amara Okeke finished 19th in 26:43.21 and Matilda Parker placed 20th in 26:48.85. Payton Cox was 28th in 29:41.74, and Grace Bogozi finished 34th in 36:05.69.

Wayne Country Day’s boys placed fifth with 104 points. Lucas Sanches Bono led the Chargers in 16th at 20:11.70. Logan Chism was 27th in 21:51.55, Isaac Kellar 29th in 22:05.07, Boone DeBiase 33rd in 22:54.96 and Fletcher Arritt 45th in 25:36.51.

Wayne Christian competes in 3A state races

Grace Heckman led Wayne Christian’s girls with a 79th-place finish in the NCISAA 3A championship, running 24:14.18. Paige Andrews finished 92nd in 25:13.48, Emma Bass 99th in 25:59.32 and Carsyn Rose 108th in 26:48.96.

Connor Jackson and Desmond Powell finished consecutively for the Eagles’ boys. Jackson was 97th in 20:21.54, and Powell was 98th in 20:22.55. Bryson Johnson placed 145th in 24:15.58, followed by Micah Craig in 149th at 28:55.19.

South Lenoir, Spring Creek take regional seconds

South Lenoir’s boys scored 54 points to finish behind Wake Prep Academy’s 19. Spring Creek placed third with 75.

Spring Creek’s Saul Fabela Delgado was the highest-finishing local runner, taking fourth in 17:37.57. South Lenoir placed four runners in the top 13: Jack Rouse was seventh in 17:47.86, Wesley Vernon eighth in 17:58.85, Yael Ramirez-Rico 12th in 18:48.37 and Cale Roberts 13th in 18:54.80.

Silas Rigsbee completed the Blue Devils’ scoring group in 24th at 20:27.20.

Kinston’s Jyree Rouse finished 11th in 18:42.72. Greene Central’s Colby Kaminski placed 20th in 20:16.02, and Goldsboro’s Zachary Keene was 53rd in 23:31.04.

In the girls race, Spring Creek scored 64 points for second behind Wake Prep’s 15. South Lenoir finished third with 88.

The Gators put all five scorers between 12th and 19th. Briana Duruttya led in 12th at 24:59.24, followed by Maliah Torres, Destinie Wilson, Stefany Canongo and Ady Morales. Their five scoring runners finished within 56.61 seconds of one another.

South Lenoir’s Valeria Ramos Gutierrez placed 10th in 23:51.58, and Alexa Haro was 11th in 23:57.66.

North Lenoir’s Harrison leads Hawks in 4A

Also racing at the Lenoir County Fairgrounds, North Lenoir’s Brevyn Harrison finished 17th in the 4A East girls regional in 23:47.87. Ava Muskus placed 24th in 25:37.64.

Robert Lawrence led North Lenoir’s boys in 63rd at 25:27.62. Eastern Wayne’s Landon Thornton finished 75th in 30:08.47.