Sam Rich of South Carolina, Ciara O'Shea of Kentucky Best Strong Regional Fields at WakeMed Park

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

In an interstate clash featuring three of the top teams in the Southeast region, the Mount Tabor boys pulled out a significant victory over Severna Park MD and preseason region No. 1 Hardin Valley Academy on Saturday as the Great American Cross Country Festival roared back to life at WakeMed Soccer Complex in Cary, N.C. 

Mount Tabor of Winston-Salem, US#21, got a fourth-place overall finish from Will Soule and held advantages at the Nos. 4 and 5 spots to get past US#23 Severna Park, 100-105. US#13 Hardin Valley had a 21-second five-man spread but it was too far back and the team took third with 166 points. 

Mount Tabor won the adidas XC Challenge on the same course two weeks ago. This time, Soule ran 22 seconds faster and senior Lucas Plitt went from seventh man to fourth and ran 31 seconds faster. 

"Two weeks ago was my first race back in a singlet (this season) and I think tactically I ran poorly," Soule said. "Today I ran to my fitness and really wanted to make a name for my team and myself.

"Lucas Plitt is a great teammate of mine. I think he could say that he is finally believing in himself. Having two seniors two weeks ago run breakthrough races (Davis Potter and Douglas Gledhill), I think really helped our other guys believe they were ready to run fast too."

RESULTS | PHOTOS by Natasha Swanson

Sam Rich of Catawba Ridge SC, the highest ranked individual in the field at No. 13 nationally, won the Boys Race of Champions in 14:59.8. He had a 10-second margin on runner-up Ryan Motondo of Walter Williams NC. Tyler Canady of Severna Park was third and teammate James Glebocki, the team's usual No. 1, finished 14th. 

In the girls race, US#23 Weddington NC got a three-point victory over US#25 Cambridge Christian FL to take the team title, 120 to 123. 

A close team battle also saw Howard of Maryland take third with 149 points, Morgantown WV place fourth with 152 points and Culbertson NC get fifth with 157. 

Ciara O'Shea of Madison Central KY won a high quality girls race in 17:08.9. Reese Fahys of East Greenwich CT was second in 17:12.3, Abby Faith Cheeseman from The Webb School TN was third 17:15.2 and Irene Riggs from Morgantown WV edged out Jolena Quarzo of Brownsville PA for fourth as both were timed in 17:17.1. 

In the Cedric Walker HBCU Challenges races, North Carolina Central won the men's title by packing together for a 2-3-4-6-10 finish in the 8,000-meter race. 

Mathew Kiptum of Shaw ran out in front and took the victory in 26:20.3 by a margin of 25 seconds. The NC Central trio of Juan Rodriguez, Isaiah Hunter and Ashton Drake was next. 

Claire Walters of North Carolina State, competing unattached, ran away with the women's 5,000-meter race in 18:09.1 -- winning by more than 90 seconds. 

Fayetteville State won the women's title with 33 points, with six finishers in the top 20.