By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON, La. — Ruston’s boys cross country team placed all seven of its runners in the top 16 on the way to an easy team title Saturday at the Cedar Creek Invitational. Host Cedar Creek had the fastest runner of the day in junior Luke Alexander.
Alexander ran the three-mile course at Lincoln Parish Park in a personal-best 15:36.24 and finished 42 seconds ahead of the rest of the field. Ruston senior Wyatt Hancock was second in 16:18.45.
“He won the race by about 40 seconds, which is just an incredible feat and so cool to see on your own home course,” Cedar Creek coach Mikayla Stiles said.
Ruston scored 24 points to win the 16-team boys division by 60 points over runner-up C.E. Byrd (84). Natchitoches Central (98), West Ouachita (105) and West Monroe (114) rounded out the top five.
“Overall, I’m pretty pleased with how our teams have run to open the season, and I’m very excited about where they’re going to go over these next few months,” Ruston coach Dustin Cochran said. “A lot of our kids had really focused summers, have been very consistent with their training, and they’re getting good results to start the season.”
Behind Hancock, junior Kellen Ketchum and sophomore Zion Henderson crossed the line 13-hundredths of a second apart in fifth and sixth, in 16:34.22 and 16:34.35. Junior Billy Rufleth was ninth in 16:47.68, and sophomore Lucas Watts completed Ruston’s scoring five in 11th in 16:48.83. Senior Cooper Slate (13th, 17:01.43) and sophomore Owen Hanchey (16th, 17:12.40) were the Bearcats’ sixth and seventh runners.
Ruston’s top five averaged 16:36. Only 30 seconds separated its first and fifth runners, the smallest gap of any team in the meet.
Cochran pointed to the progress of his sophomores.
“I was really excited with how the younger kids raced,” Cochran said. “Zion Henderson, Lucas Watts and Owen Hanchey are sophomores who didn’t really break 5:40 for one mile in junior high, and now they’re running 3 miles straight at 5:30 to 5:40 pace. It’s a testament to how consistent they’ve been.”
Ruston’s depth showed in the junior varsity race as well, where the Bearcats took the top six spots.
“Gabe Mhire and Jude Falting were incredible in the front, and I bet they would’ve been right with our top five guys if they had raced in the varsity race,” Cochran said. “Going 1-6 in JV was a major highlight for us because it shows that we’re not just coaching a couple individuals in the front to run fast, but we’ve got the whole team bought in and improving. I am really proud of all these boys.”
Cedar Creek senior Joshua McCarthy joined Alexander near the front, placing 15th in 17:03.09. Junior William Myers ran a personal record of 20:39.61 to finish 66th, and freshman Dallas Stringer was 109th in 27:56.57. The Cougars had four boys in the race and did not post a team score.
“We had an incredible turnout and are so grateful for all of the runners, families, spectators and fans who came out to watch and support,” Stiles said. “Our Cougars were represented very well, both on the elementary side and the high school side.”
Choudrant’s boys, all freshmen or younger, finished 11th with 303 points. Freshman Cason Cavin led the Aggies in 36th in 18:51.43. Eighth grader Claude Marlette (52nd, 20:00.91), freshman Tucker Edwards (56th, 20:13.31), freshman Grayson Tyler (80th, 21:46.59) and freshman Caden Monk (117th, 33:54.03) rounded out the team.
“Overall, our kids did well,” Choudrant coach Joseph Wohlers said. “We might not have won medals, but still, our team had an incredible amount of PRs. My students are continuously progressing to become faster and stronger individually and as a team.”
In the girls race, C.E. Byrd swept the top three spots and scored 23 points to edge Ruston, which finished second with 35. West Ouachita was a distant third with 113. Byrd sophomore Isabel Wooley won in 18:22.24.
“On the girls side, we’re starting to get super consistent and starting to feel good,” Cochran said. “For them to start the year and be pretty close to Byrd, who we think has a great shot at being a podium team in November, was very encouraging for me. I like how we went out and competed.”
Junior Eden Dawsey led the Lady Bearcats in fourth in 19:19.92, the first runner across the line who wasn’t from Byrd. Ruston then took seventh, eighth and ninth, with senior Addison Brister (20:02.38), senior Madison Morris (20:06.78) and freshman Lauren Price (20:22.09) finishing within 20 seconds of each other. Senior Aydan Murry was Ruston’s fifth scorer in 17th in 21:49.84, followed by senior Diana Santos (19th, 22:34.97) and freshman Evie Neilson (24th, 23:04.53).
“Lauren Price was definitely the highlight for the girls as she continues to grow and learn her freshman year,” Cochran said.
Cochran also singled out Skylar Bowers, a newcomer to the sport.
“I was also really pumped for Skylar Bowers,” Cochran said. “She’s been playing softball for years and decided to give cross country a try. She’s getting better all the time, and I’m looking forward to what she will do as the season goes.”
Cedar Creek freshman Evelyn Mills placed 10th with a personal-best 20:45.58, and senior Marley Jinks was 38th in 24:57.70. Cedar Creek did not post a team score in the girls race.
“It’s a tough course with a lot of different terrain and hills, but it’s really, really cool to see so many PRs so early in the season,” Stiles said. “Doing it on your own home turf makes it even more special.”
Choudrant’s girls finished seventh of 13 teams with 195 points, led by a group of eighth graders. Matlan Land was the Aggies’ top finisher in 20th in 22:42.59, and Addyson Colvin was 27th in 23:48.99. Eighth graders Bailey Wyatt (56th, 26:38.25) and Carson Foster (58th, 26:46.02) and sophomore Audrey Holbron (69th, 27:27.44) completed the scoring five. Freshman Daylynn Collinsworth was 91st in 32:52.62.
“Each one of them is growing and becoming a better runner every day,” Wohlers said. “We appreciate the other teams and the strong competition they bring, which helped push us to get better. I am extremely proud of all of my runners with how they performed and the progress they continue to make.”
