The French Camp Academy girls used a dominant performance to win the MHSAA 1A state cross country championship Monday at Choctaw Trails with members garnering the top three spots and five of the top six. The Lady Panthers finished with 17 points compared to 66 for Tupelo Christian, the three-time defending champion.
The French Camp boys were second behind Tupelo Christian.
Lucy Littlejohn finished first for French Camp girls with a time of 20:43.7 for 5,000 meters. She was followed across the finish line by Taylor Benoit second, Averie Jane Gundy third, Annaleigh Bain fifth, and Maddi Davis sixth.
A fourth-place finish by Anna Bishop Powell of Tupelo Christian prevented French Camp from having a perfect team score of 15.
“We knew she (Powell) was going to be tough,” said French Camp Coach Joe Watkins.
Although only the first five runners for a team count for the score, teams are allowed to enter seven runners. French Camp's sixth and seventh runners, Kelsey Bridges and Olivia Gundy, finished eighth and ninth. All seven earned all-state honors.
The average time of 21:39.22 for French Camp's first five runners was better than for the 5A, Saltillo, and 3A, St. Andrew's, champions earlier in the day.
French Camp's performance did not surprise Tupelo Christian coach Greg Warnick.
“I knew they were going to be good. I have seen them all year. They're so deep and so good,” said Warnick.
Most of the French Camp runners were also key contributors when the Lady Panthers won 1A track in the spring.
Only two of the seven are seniors. Littlejohn, Bridges and Olivia Gundy are freshmen, Averie Jan Gundy is a sophomore, Bain is a junior, and Benoit and Davis are the two seniors.
Watkins was just as proud of his boys’ team that finished second with five underclassmen, including two seventh graders.
“This is the best boys’ team since I have been here,” said Watkins.
Tupelo Christian won for the sixth straight year with 45 to 78 for French Camp. The Panthers were led by sophomore Jesse Jones who finished seventh. Ayden Watkins, a seventh grader, was ninth, Cole Shurden, another seventh grader was 16th, sophomore Connor Privitt was 21st, and eighth grader Justin Squires 30th.
Other team winners Monday were Brookhaven boys and Saltillo girls in 5A and St. Patrick boys and St. Andrew's girls in 3A.
