Rogers, Bentonville add titles to collection

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Three programs that dominate the cross country scene in Arkansas – Bentonville, Rogers and Fayetteville – were at it again on Saturday at the Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs for the state championships.

On the boys side, it went Rogers (39), Fayetteville (51), Bentonville (60) as the three schools combined for 12 of the top 15 spots in the race. Sophomore Camren Fischer from Fayetteville won the Class 7A title with 15:40.8. RESULTS

For the girls, it was Bentonville (36), Fayetteville (46) and Rogers (52) atop the team standings. Runners from those three schools took the top 11 spots. The fastest was Bentonville’s Tori Willis, who ran 19:02.5 for the win a week after finishing eighth at her conference meet. Rogers twins Halle and Aubre Gilreath went 2-3.

Sophomore Colby Swecker led a 1-2-3 finish for Lake Hamilton in the Class 6A boys race and the team scored 24 points for an easy win. Swecker ran 16:40.7. Siloam Springs scored 33 points on the girls side, going 3-4-7-8-11. Josie Carson from Lake Hamilton won the race in 19:41.9.

Maumelle put six guys in the top 21 and scored 44 points to capture the Class 5A boys team title. Sophomore Alex Zangara from Morrilton ran 16:18.3 to win the race. Batesville freshman Jillian Jones ran 19:47.7 for the girls victory as Little Rock Christian took the team win (59 points).

Heber Springs swept the Class 4A team titles, with the boys putting four in the top 10 on the way to 39 points and the girls putting all five in the top 26 for 63 points. Heber Springs sophomore Parker Ables ran 16:38.7 to win the boys race and Lonoke junior Gracie Hyde ran 19:47.5 to win the girls individual crown.

The boys from Green Forest went 2-3-4-6 on the way to a dominant Class 3A victory with 29 points as Jessieville’s Noah Eskew won it with 16:30.9. Shelby Bowman from Greenland won the girls race in 20:28.9. Genoa Central packed up nicely, going 2-7-8-9-12 for a 37-point victory.

In the Class 2A/1A races, Trevor Falco of Salem (16:51.9) and Jamison Maass of Haas Hall (19:33.7) were the winners. The Quitman girls scored 36 points to win the team title, while Ouachita scored 91 to carry the day for the boys.