Kosciusko boys and girls cross country teams returned to competition at the French Camp Classic last Saturday after being off for two weeks while the school was closed to in person teaching. The boys finished third and the girls sixth.“Being our first meet back, I feel pretty good about it,” coach Greg Cooper said of the performances.The boys finished behind Clinton, a 6A school, and Neshoba Central, a 5A school.Jon Gant was the first Whippet to cross the finish line, placing eighth out of 81 runners with a time of 18:45 for 5,000 meters. Jorge Orduna was 10th in 18:47.The time for both was a personal best.They were followed by Gustavo Orduna, 17th in 19:29; Lem Whitcomb, 35th in 21:30; Cole Wilson, 39th in 21:38; Christian Covarrubias, 56th in 22:44.5; and Cooper Sparks, 62nd in 23:10.It was the first varsity meet for Wilson, an eighth grader who ran in the MHSAA Middle School Cross Country Classic at Choctaw Trails earlier in the week. Kosciusko finished 12th at the middle school meet for seventh and eighth graders who have never run in a varsity meet.The Kosciusko girls were led by Reid Hutchinson, 16th at the French Camp meet with a time of 23:26.68. Emma Rhodes came in right behind her to finish 17th in 23:27.18. Savannah Fulgham was 43rd (25:55.08), Macie Alford 49th (26:56.74); and Lorelai Bell 60th (30:22.62).Kosciusko competed in the Region 4-4A meet Wednesday at Choctaw Trails, site of the state meet, and is entered in a meet at Sebastopol Saturday.Because of the pandemic, the Mississippi High School Activities Association is limiting participants in the state meet this year. The Kosciusko boys are assured of competing in the 4A meet November 2, but the girls team has yet to qualify. Qualifying teams and individuals will be posted on the MHSAA website www.misshsaa.com next week. The Kosciusko girls were 10th and boys 17th in last year’s state meet.
