Gravette cross-country girls win big
GRAVETTE — The girls’ cross-country team at Gravette High School won the state championship in the 4A Arkansas State Cross Country Championships meet on Nov. 3 at the Oaklawn Park infield in Hot Springs.
The girls finished with a team score of 46, with the second-place team, Pottsville, finishing with 97 points.
Julia Whorton, a junior, finished the 500-meter run in third place with a time of 20:37.44, less than two seconds behind the first-place runner from Clinton. Freshman runner Keira Ralph finished 11th with a time of 21:39.04. Sophomore Litzy Garcia finished in 12th with a time of 21:56.96. Anna Kedrowski, a Gravette junior, finished 15th with a time of 22:35.88. Audrey Houghton, a senior, was in the 18th spot at 22:52.25. The points of these first five Gravette runners were used to make up the team score of 46.
Celia Chernota, a sophomore, was in the 44th spot with a time of 24:44.05. Junior Aryell Flores finished 49th with a time of 24:51.09. In the 100th spot was freshman Makayla Ruopp with a time of 27:38.83. Sophomore Noora Baab was 149th at 35:58.89.
Gravette cross-country coach Christopher Weller posted the following in the cross-country team’s Facebook group after the state championship win:
“Since before June 6th, these kids decided to take the journey toward a goal. That goal was being state champs. Today we met our early season goals and adjusted goals into the season. After 20 weeks of 6-day weeks of practice, and averaging up to and over 25 miles per week (maxing at 35), our boys met their goal of 3rd in the state and our girls, champions.
“Our girls never lost a 4A competition in the state of Arkansas and, with the help of some determined competitors, our boys had the best team season to date.
“This has been a wild journey of emotions this year for many of us, but through the vision of apokaradokia [a Greek word meaning intense desire and earnest expectation], we attained what we set out to achieve. These kids will remember this forever as they are the first cross-country team in Gravette history to win a state championship, and they did it while staying undefeated.
“There are so many people to thank, and so many giving people to dedicate this season to. First and foremost, Jana Hargrave and Chris Whorton, the best coaches this team could have had. All the parents and Gravette supporters, and our administration. Thank you!
“We are not done. We have much more work to do. Although we won a state championship, we are not satisfied. We hit the drawing board Monday. But for now, we celebrate these amazing athletes of character!”
The Gravette boys’ team finished in third place at the state competition last Thursday with a team score of 160. Pea Ridge High School finished in first with a team score of 57.
The Gravette boys were led by junior James Orndorff, who finished 10th with a time of 17:32.98; senior Wesley Wilson, 17th, 18:19.91; junior Holden Betz, 33rd, 19:07.15; junior Gabriel Briggs, 47th, 19:31:00; and senior Will Betz, 59th, 19:42.00.
4A Region 1 Conference Meet
The Gravette High School girls’ team also took first place at the conference meet in Huntsville on Oct. 26.
Julia Whorton took first place individual (for the second year in a row) with a time of 20:32.70. The top six Gravette finishers were in the top 14 spots.
The high school boys finished in third place, behind Pea Ridge and Farmington.
Gravette coach Christopher Weller also received the Conference Coach of the Year award.