Vikings continue run at State: Rowan County finished fourth at Class 2A meet; Lions placed seventh
Oct. 29—LEXINGTON — Rowan County followed up its first-ever region title with a stellar showing at the state cross country meet at the Kentucky Horse Park on Saturday.
The Vikings finished in fourth place out of 27 teams with a combined score of 130 points. Lexington Catholic ran away with the Class 2A girls title with a commanding 38 points, 64 clear of second-place Harlan County with 102. Corbin was third with 124.
Rowan County senior Autumn Egleston completed her cross country career with a fourth-place finish out of 226 competitors on a rainy day in Lexington. Egleston crossed the finish line with a time of 19:42.69. She has five wins and nine top-five results in 10 meets this season, according to ky.milesplit.com. Egleston also won the Class 2A, Region 6 crown at Morgan County on Oct. 21.
Sister Ariah Egleston (21:38.56) and seventh-grader Shelby Lykins (21.39.73) completed the course in 24th and 25th place for the Vikings, respectively. Freshman Ava Carver finished in 40th place with a time of 22:43.53.
Rowan County coach Michael Short has touted the depth of his team all season and it showed again on the biggest stage.
"The key to his whole season is about depth," Short said to The Daily Independent at the region track meet. "I mean we have the depth from the seniors down to the seventh graders. The season has been one of those that anybody could be in any place in a given grace. I think today showed we had the depth that we needed to pull off the win."
Boyd County's Sami Govey made the championship podium after her 10th-place result at the state meet. The Lions sophomore crossed the line with a final time of 20:19.28.
Boyd County finished its season on a high note after placing seventh in a crowded field. Sophomore Olivia Phillips posted a time of 21:36.60 for 22nd place. Junior Lexi Ramey (22:33.56) was 43rd.
Russell's Courtney Fitzpatrick placed 33rd after her time of 22:03.97. Ashland's Piper Griffith (22:21.23) was 40th.
In the boys 2A state meet, Greenup County's Cody Brown was the highest local finisher in 23rd place. He posted a time of 17:42.46. Boyd County's Mason Newsome (17:51.37) ended his day in 29th place.
Thomas Nelson collected both individual championships. Riku Sugie won the boys title. Baili Hoten topped the girls event.
Fort Campbell's Ellie Underwood claimed the Class A girls title. Bishop Brossart's Nathan Ruth took home the boys Class A championship.
