After hosting a meet last Saturday, the French Camp cross country team will not compete again until the MHSAA Class 1A state meet Oct. 31 at Choctaw Trails in Jackson. In the meantime, the runners will follow the lead of marathoners.“Most marathon runners, when they are two weeks out, they do something called tapering, and that's what we are going to do,” said coach Joe Watkins. “We will do a little less every day. We're looking forward to doing some easy running, a lot of stretching and tapering off the distances. We have some people who are a little banged up from racing every weekend.”At the French Camp Classic, the girls team finished second and the boys were sixth. French Camp was the only 1A school competing. All others were from larger classifications, indulging 6A Clinton, winner of the boys and girls competition.Clinton girls finished first with five runners in the top eight for a team score of 24. French Camp was next with 52.Averie Jane Gundy was French Camp's top runner, coming in seventh with a time of 22:36.15 for 5,000 meters. It was a personal record.“Our course is not a PR course. Averie Jane went out there and ran a time nearly a minute faster than she has ever run,” Watkins said.Maddi Davis also had a personal best, finishing ninth in 23:06.74. “She worked every step of it and almost passed out at the end,” Watkins said. “She deserves all the credit. It was really her day.”They were followed by Annaleigh Bain, 11th in 23:10.15; Emma Wright, 12th in 23:10.92; Kelsey Bridges, 13th in 23:16.20; Olivia Gundy, 23rd in 23:55.34; and Olivia Surrette, 36th in 25:34.52.Evelyn Mata-O'Dwyer of Clinton was the race winner in 21:03.74.French Camp boys were led by Stratton Choppala who was 25th (19:49). Brady Peacock was 28th (20:25), Beau McPhail 45th (21:55), Ian Choppala 53rd (22:35) and James Cantey 64th (23:18).Thomas Sanders of Neshoba Central. was first in 17:20 but Clinton had four runners in the top 10 to finish with 27 to 42 for Neshoba Central.The Mississippi High School Activities Association is restricting participants at the state meet this year due to the pandemic. The French Camp girls will qualify for the meet, but Watkins is not sure about the boys team. If French Camp boys do not qualify as a team, Stratton Choppala and Peacock should be able to run as individuals.French Camp girls were third and boys were fourth last year.
