Har-Ber's Reina, Sugg repeat 7A titles

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Elise Reina from Har-Ber won her third consecutive state cross country championship and T.J. Sugg, also of Har-Ber, won his second, in the Class 7A races at Oak Lawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark.

Reina, who was third as a freshman before reeling off three straight wins, ran 18:44.9 and defeated Alex Ritchey of Mount St. Mary Academy by just three seconds. The two runners ran side by side until Reina outkicked Ritchey in the final quarter mile.

Bentonville won the girls team title with four runners in the top 11. Bentonville scored 45 points, Lafayette 62 and Rogers 64.

Sugg repeated his title in 15:48.8. He was 10 seconds clear of runner-up Camren Fischer, a freshman from Fayetteville, at the end.

Fayetteville beat Bentonville 48-67 for the team championship.

Elliott Pearson led Siloam Springs to the Class 6A boys team title (66) with his individual victory in 16:32.9. Sophomore Josie Carson from Lake Hamilton ran 19:25.2 to win the girls. Siloam Springs went 2-4-5-6-7 to win team race with 24 points. Lake Hamilton runners went 1-3-8-9-12 for 33 points.

Harrison High dominated the Class 5A boys race as Seth Waters led a 1-2-3 finish that resulted in a low winning score of 25 points. Waters ran 16:15.5 and only his two teammates were within a minute of him. Senior Erin Woodward from Little Rock Christian won the girls race in 19:08.4 and by a margin of 29 seconds. Her teammate Allison Risius, a freshman, was second.

Senior Oliver Perez of Berryville won the Class 4A boys race by a margin of 31 seconds in 16:38.7. However, Heber Springs went 2-3 and wound up edging Berryville 51-55 for the state title. Freshman Bekah Bostian of Prairie Grove won the girls race in 20:05.5 and Pottsville’s depth helped it win the team championship with 61 points.  

Noah Eskew of Jessieville won the Class 3A boys race in 16:47.9 and won by nearly half a minute. Green Forest scored 56 points for the team win. Genoa Central’s girls went 2-3-6-8-10 on the way to 24 points and the girls team win. Kendall Hays of West Fork won the race 20:47.9.

In Class 2A/1A Bennett Pascoe (17:12.40) won the boys race for Conway Christian and West Side Christian (34) won the team title. Trinity Christian won the girls title with 25 points and senior Elizabeth Gillette ran 18:54.4 to win the race despite a strong challenge from freshman Tori Willis of Haas Hall (19:02.8). Both were more than a minute ahead of third place.