By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON, La. — Ruston High School’s girls’ cross country team returned to the top spot in the Division I Regional Cross Country Thursday, winning first place overall with a team total of 43 points, while the boys finished second behind an incredibly talented Parkway squad at 66 points.
Freshman Eden Dawsey took first place overall for the girls at 18 minutes, 48 seconds, while junior Hallie Hebert finished third at 19:08. Senior Parker Nations finished seventh overall with a time of 19:27, while senior Sydney Owens took 15th at 20:27.
Rounding out scorers for Ruston was junior Maddy Parkman at 20:57 for 22nd place.
“We won three girls Region 1 titles in a row, and then last year we just couldn’t get it done,” Ruston High head coach Dustin Cochran said. “Bad break after bad break for them. We finished fourth. I told the girls then that we got beat this year but good programs don’t just show up for one year, they have to sustain it. We will be back. This year, we’re back. These girls worked really hard and have battled and battled this year. I’m so proud to have watched them today and get to see them get that first place plaque.
“My seniors, Parker and Sydney are real champions. Over the 5 years I’ve known them they’ve grown from little 8th graders happy to be a part of something to battle tested competitors. They show up sick. They show up hurting. They show up on their best days and their worst. As we roll into state, I couldn’t pick two better girls for this team to lean on. Eden and Hallie continue to just run great week after week and finish exactly where they need to for the team to have success. Eden made it look easy out there today. I’m looking forward to being a fan of hers at the state meet and watching her compete with the best Louisiana has to offer. She, and our team will be ready.”
Ruston finishers in Girls’ JV Division
Madison Morris 1st 20:20
Addie Brister 3rd 22:14
Mary Hammond 4th 22:16
Lyla Boudreaux 9th 24:32
Josie Bishop 11th 25:17
On the boys’ side, Ruston took second place overall (2+8+9+12+37 = 68) behind Parkway with junior Taylor Huddleston finishing second overall at 15:33. Junior Al-Amin Wilson took eighth at 15:59, while junior Luke Braswell finished right behind at ninth at 15:59, as well.
Junior Josh Daulton took 12th at 16:04, while senior Josiah Finley took 37th at 17:38.
“We lost the boys regional title after winning five straight, but this one really felt like a win,” Cochran said. “Parkway came in as one of the best teams on paper to ever exist in Louisiana. They had beat us pretty badly two times this year. They beat us so bad three weeks ago that we asked what in the world happened. I thought coming in that this was a super high character group of guys, and week in and week out they prove me right. I can’t speak enough about the way Josh, Taylor, AJ, and Luke lead this team. Two guys here have run state before. Everyone else never made our state team or was brand new to running.
“It’s insane that they’re as competitive as they are this year, and a testament to the way they believe in themselves and each other. I have no doubt this Bearcat team will be top notch very soon, and they’ll deserve every bit of it.”
Cochran said he was confident Ruston could have won had Myles Head’s been able to run in the varsity division Thursday.
Ruston finishers in Boys’ JV Division
Myles Head 1st 15:31
Charlie Rufleth 6th 18:16
Gabriel Mhire 7th 18:24
Preston Parker 8th 18:25
Kellen Ketchum 9th 18:26
Ethan Robison 10th 18:36
Ruston will return to action Monday, Nov. 18, in Natchitoches, La., for the LHSAA Div-1 State Championships.
