ALABAMA STATE MEET

Maxwell Hardin Cruises To Meet Record At Indian Mounds Park

By Mary Albl of DyeStat

The rainy, late-fall conditions on Saturday at Indian Mounds Park didn’t seem to slow down Auburn’s Maxwell Hardin. The senior powered across the wet 5,000-meter course to win his first 7A Alabama State High School Cross Country title in a course record time of 14 minutes, 46.63 seconds.

The previous top mark of 15:11.23 was from 2004 by Robert Bedsole of Hoover. Runner-up Mac Conwell of St. Paul’s Episcopal (14:56.40) was also under the mark. In the battle for the team title, 2021 winner Huntsville received all they could handle from Vestavia Hill, as the two programs tied with 60 points apiece through five scorers in the 7A final. Vestavia Hills' sixth runner finished eight spots ahead of Huntsville's and Vestavia Hills won its first title since 2012. 

In the girls 7A race, Chelsea ended Auburn’s six-year reign as it placed four in the top 10 to score 35 points and claim the trophy. Auburn eighth-grader Sarah Tole won the individual title in 18:02.91, helping her team to a second place finish. 

The Mountain Brook boys and girls team swept the 6A team titles, as senior Reagan Riley led her team, defending her title in 17:57.3, the fastest time of the day for any female runner. The boys 6A title was won by junior Charles Perry of UMS-Wright in 15:43.54. 

It was a photo-finish in the boys 5A race as teammates Evan Hill (15:37.34) and Stephen Jones (15:37.35) went 1-2 to guide their team to a second-place finish. The American Christian Academy boys scored 38 points to claim the team championship. 

The Lawrence County girls once again finished atop Class 5A, scoring 27 points. Senior Savannah Williams ran to a  second straight individual title (18:17.92), as teammate Katie Mae Coan (18:46.03) was runner-up and sister Taylor Williams placed third (19:03.79) to take third. Lawrence County placed all seven runners in the top 20. 

In 4A, Munford junior Dakota Frank claimed the title in 16:00.68. Providence Christian School scored 48 points to claim the team championship. 

The Providence Christian girls defended their state title after moving up from 3A , scoring 69 points to win. Three runners finished in the top 20 for Providence Christian. Maddyn Conn of White Plains, runner-up last year, won the 4A individual title by more than 25 seconds, finishing in 18:59.61. 

The Bayshore Christian boys continued their winning tradition with five runners finishing in the top 20 to claim the 3A title with 55 points after moving up from 1A/2A. Vinemont’s Ethan Lemons won the 3A race in 16:05.90. 

The Altamont girls finished with four runners in the top 15 to tally 55 points and win the 3A crown. Elise Picard of Indian Springs easily won the individual title by more than a minute in 19:11.32. 

In the boys 1A-2A race, Ethan Edgeworth led Cold Springs to a state title winning the race in 15:53.26. Teammate Jayden Allred was runner-up in 17:98.05. 

Senior Victoria Woods made history for her school in the 1A-2A girls race as she became the first individual state champion crossing the line in 20:55.94. St. Luke's Episcopal won the team title with 78 points.

Team Champions 

Class 7A: Huntsville/Vestavia Hills boys 60 points; Chelsea girls 35 points - RESULTS

Class 6A: Mountain Brook boys 47 points; Mountain Brook girls 33 points - RESULTS

Class 5A: American Christian Academy 38 points; Lawrence Country girls 27 points - RESULTS

Class 4A:Bayside Academy boys 73 points, Bayside Academy girls 51 points - RESULTS

Class 3A: Bayshore Christian boys 55 points; Altamont girls 55 points - RESULTS

Class 2A/1A: Cold Springs boys 44 points; St. Luke's Episcopal girls 78 points - RESULTS