For the second consecutive year, both cross country teams finished their season as state champs. It was the 12th state title for the boys’ program, and their third in a row, and their ninth in the past 12 years. For the girls, it was their fifth in program history.

In a nail-biting finish on Saturday, November 6 in Carrollton, the boys knocked off region rival Decatur by only two points and finished with a team average of 16:57 in the 5k race. Leading the way for the Golden Lions was junior Ryan Boyle, who placed third overall with a time of 16:40. Senior Patrick McDonald came in sixth, followed by senior Logan Wiley (11th), sophomore Truman Thompson (15th), senior Carter Scott (22nd), senior Gram Russell (30th), and junior Sutter Guttery (184th). 

The girls defeated Blessed Trinity by seven points and had a team average of 19:39. Senior Mary Brady finished her high school career as a state champion and captured the individual title with a time of 18:47. Sophomore teammate Hannah Schemmel finished second with a time of 18:55. Sophomore Grace Von Biberstein (8th) and senior Catherine Breault (9th) also placed in the top 10, followed by Cala McEachron (22nd), freshman Maggie White (29th), and senior Elizabeth Heim (73rd). 

“These seniors [Brady, Breault, McEachron, and Heim] have changed the culture of our program forever and deserve so much credit. They all did what I knew they were capable of,” head coach Ryan McClay said in an interview after the race with Georgia MileSplit. “They ran their hearts out and deserve tons of credit. I’m pumped for them. That was not an easy win.”

Both teams will next compete in the Meet of Champions November 14 in Fayetteville.