Fort Mill High School’s boys and girls cross country teams advanced to the South Carolina High School League 5A state championship Friday after strong runs at the state qualifier at The Farm at Newberry, where the boys placed four runners among the top seven finishers.
Junior Owen Ware led the Yellow Jackets boys with a third place time of 17:09.84 on the 5K course. Sophomore Lauren Allen paced the Fort Mill girls in fourth. Northwestern High School’s boys and girls teams also qualified, giving both York County schools full teams in each race at the state meet Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Aiken Steeplechase.
Fort Mill’s girls and boys both won 5A Division 2 state titles last fall, the girls’ third in a row and the boys’ second straight.
The league split 5A schools into two qualifier races for each gender, labeled Odd and Even in the official results posted by Timing Inc. Fort Mill’s boys ran in the Even race and its girls ran in the Odd race.
Four Yellow Jackets finish within 11 seconds
Eastside senior Asbel Guevara won the boys Even race in 17:06.92, holding off Woodmont senior Dallin Dyrhaug by less than two tenths of a second. Ware finished less than three seconds behind Guevara, and senior Hudson Haley was right behind Ware in fourth at 17:12.72.
Freshman Ian Zook placed sixth in 17:19.12 and sophomore Jacob Audley was seventh in 17:20.55. Ware, Haley, Zook and Audley crossed the line within 10.71 seconds of each other.
Freshman Nolan Sova finished 19th in 17:46.36. Gryson Pogalz followed in 22nd at 17:47.97, and senior Ben Madej was 23rd in 17:50.19. All seven Fort Mill runners finished within about 41 seconds.
River Bluff junior Jack Dooley posted the fastest boys time of the day, winning the Odd race in 16:44.32.
Allen and Mia Zook lead Fort Mill girls
Allen ran 20:11.38 for fourth place in the girls Odd race, finishing just ahead of Mauldin eighth grader Sydney Mitskavich. Senior Mia Zook was eighth in 20:27.82, and junior Bailey Nolin placed 14th in 20:45.81.
Senior Kaylee Rovenstine finished 25th in 21:17.85 and senior Rachel Vinson was 32nd in 21:44.39. Seventh grader Eve Zook placed 44th in 22:30.47, and senior Leah Ackerman was 46th in 22:39.08.
Northwestern’s Harvey wins by 30 seconds
The girls Odd race belonged to Northwestern senior Grace Harvey, who won in 19:18.39, the fastest time in either 5A girls race. Mauldin senior Avery Griffith was second, 30.36 seconds back. Boiling Springs junior Kinley Stevens won the girls Even race in 19:42.96.
Northwestern senior Chloe Laval placed 13th in 20:45.30, one spot ahead of Fort Mill’s Nolin. Senior Skyler Laval finished 27th, sophomore Piper Lumsden was 31st and senior Lily Laval was 40th. Freshman Ashlyn Alosi and sophomore Bristol McKinnon placed 58th and 60th.
The Northwestern boys ran in the same Even race as Fort Mill. Senior John Michael Slater led the Trojans in 25th place at 17:54.44, and senior Seth Ayers was 34th in 18:08.28. Sophomores Jaxson Owens and Alex Miller and senior Scott Bushman finished 55th, 57th and 58th, all within about four seconds of one another. Seniors Mason Kingsford and Andrew Morton placed 65th and 74th.
State meet Saturday in Aiken
The 5A girls race starts at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Aiken Steeplechase, followed by the 5A boys at 10 a.m. Awards for 5A are scheduled for 11 a.m., according to the league’s state championship schedule.
Spectators enter through the blue gate at 146 Old Wagener Road in Aiken. Complete results from Friday’s qualifier are available at TimingInc.com.
Local Finishers
Fort Mill
Girls (Odd race)
4. Lauren Allen, 10th grade, 20:11.38
8. Mia Zook, 12th grade, 20:27.82
14. Bailey Nolin, 11th grade, 20:45.81
25. Kaylee Rovenstine, 12th grade, 21:17.85
32. Rachel Vinson, 12th grade, 21:44.39
44. Eve Zook, 7th grade, 22:30.47
46. Leah Ackerman, 12th grade, 22:39.08
Boys (Even race)
3. Owen Ware, 11th grade, 17:09.84
4. Hudson Haley, 12th grade, 17:12.72
6. Ian Zook, 9th grade, 17:19.12
7. Jacob Audley, 10th grade, 17:20.55
19. Nolan Sova, 9th grade, 17:46.36
22. Gryson Pogalz, grade not listed, 17:47.97
23. Ben Madej, 12th grade, 17:50.19
Northwestern
Girls (Odd race)
- Grace Harvey, 12th grade, 19:18.39
- Chloe Laval, 12th grade, 20:45.30
- Skyler Laval, 12th grade, 21:23.10
- Piper Lumsden, 10th grade, 21:43.75
- Lily Laval, 12th grade, 22:17.22
- Ashlyn Alosi, 9th grade, 23:18.18
- Bristol McKinnon, 10th grade, 23:24.48
Boys (Even race)
25. John Michael Slater, 12th grade, 17:54.44
34. Seth Ayers, 12th grade, 18:08.28
55. Jaxson Owens, 10th grade, 18:43.70
57. Alex Miller, 10th grade, 18:46.99
58. Scott Bushman, 12th grade, 18:47.66
65. Mason Kingsford, 12th grade, 19:03.39
74. Andrew Morton, 12th grade, 19:32.92
The league split the 5A schools into two qualifier races for each gender, labeled Odd and Even.
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Assistant Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
