Marshals record best state cross country finish in 19 years

The Marshals 17th place finish at Saturday’s State Cross Country Meet was the best finish since 1998. Pictured here with MCHS Principal Patricia Greer (left) and Head Coach Chris Kerrick (right). Photos provided by MCHS Cross Country

In their best finish at the Class 3A KHSAA State Cross Country Meet since the 1998 team placed 11th, the Marshals finished 17th Saturday at Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park. St. Xavier took top honors for the third straight year in Class 3A. The individual champion was Dylan Allen from Male who ran the 5K course in 15:44.33.

Second place finisher in Class 3A was St. Xavier’s Patrick Schaefer in 15:46.56 and third went to Austin Mathews of Paul Dunbar in 15:55.02. Trinity (Louisville) took second in team results and South Warren third.

Mason Cosner led the Marshals with a 64th place finish in a Class 3A field of 282 runners.

In a field of 282, Mason Cosner had the best Marshall County finish, crossing in 64th in 17:33.90, Samuel Lanham placed 92nd (17:46.99), Matt Ray 116th (18:01.45), Christian Cosner 120th (18:02.75), Ethan McCarty 179th (18::38.00), Ethan Dowell 197th (18:47.32) and Knox Sandlin 199th (18:48.17).

Local runners Garrett Wilson of Graves County placed 27th (16:48.77) and McCracken County’s Wes Grogan finished 64th (17:33.90).

Alexia Minter and Gabbi Lovett represented Marshall County in the girl’s race. Minter finished 93rd in 21:50.47 and Lovett 113th in 22:06.31 in a field of 277 at the start line. Kaitlyn Lacy from Male won the state title in 18:03.09, Alena Sapienza-Wright of Dupont Manual was second in 18:24.36 and third went to Tates Creek’s Jenna Strange in 18:29.15.

The Class 3A team title went to Dupont Manual, Oldham County was second and Daviess County third. The best local finish came from Maggie Aydt of McCracken County who finished eighth overall in 19:19.22, leading the Lady Mustangs to a ninth place finish.

In Class 1A boys, Keeton Thornberry of Louisville Holy Cross took first in 16:09.37 and Holy Cross won the team title. Selena Mattingly of Williamsburg won the girl’s 1A state title in 19:28.72 while Bishop Brossart won the team title.

In Class 2A boys, Steven Ott of Christian Academy took first in 16:07.03 with team honors going to Lexington Catholic. The girls 2A champion went to Rock Castle County’s Victoria Dotson with a time of 19:15.80 and the team title went to Highlands.