TOP 10 FINISHES: Trae Baker, Eric Burns, McKenna Hood pace Tahlequah Thursday in Early Tiger Invitational

Aug. 28—Tahlequah had three runners place inside the top 10 Thursday as it opened its cross country season in the Tahlequah Early Tiger Cross Country Invitational.

Sophomore Trae Baker finished second for the Tigers in the 4K event, running a time of 13:08.33. Next in line for the Tigers was senior Eric Burns, who posted a time of 13:50.13, which was good for ninth overall.

McKenna paced the Lady Tigers with a sixth-place finish. Hood, a sophomore, ran a 15:47.40.

The Tigers ended fourth in the team standings, trailing Bishop Kelley, Broken Arrow and Coweta. They had a total time of 1:12.48 and their top five average was 14:33.55.

The Lady Tigers were third in the team standings, following Bishop Kelley and Coweta. Their total time was 1:25.44 and their average top five time was 17:08.81.

Junior Sam Shankle finished 28th overall for the Tigers with a time of 15:06.51, and freshman Jacob Tiger followed in 29th with a 15:07.68. Senior Jaxon Stickles posted a time of 15:35.10, and sophomore Braxton McCarty ran a 15:51.23.

Senior Lily Couch followed Hood for the Lady Tigers. Couch was 12th overall with a time of 16:51.13. Junior Emma Maxwell was 14th at 16:57.43, junior Salendia Melo was also inside the top 20 at 18th with a time of 17:53.57, sophomore Tori Pham was 24th with an 18:14.33, sophomore Abigail Johnson was 27th at 18:31.08, and junior Kristin Campbell posted a time of 20:30.77.

Broken Arrow's Blake Feron won the boys' individual title, closing with a time of 12:20.88. Bixby's Cayden Dawson led the girls' field, running a course-record 13:49.01. Dawson is the current state record holder in 5K.

Tahlequah will be at the Bixby Invitational Thursday, Sept. 2.