Messenger file photo by Chris McCarthy
The Southside boys and girls cross country teams both finished runner-up at the Class 6A Section 5 meet last Thursday (Oct 28) at St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman.
Both teams qualified for the AHSAA state meet on Saturday, Nov. 6 at Indian Mounds Park in Oakville.
The Panthers’ average time of 17:50.86 was only 28 seconds shy of first-place Cullman.
The SHS boys had three runners in the top 10 and two in the top 25. Luke Holcombe (pictured above) paced the Panthers with a fifth-place time of 16:58.40 5, followed by Jackson Griggs in seventh at 17:26.50 and Ryan Maudsley in ninth at 17:44.50.
Southside got support from Evan Christopher, who finished 11th at 18:14.10, and Max Valentine, who came in 23rd at 18:50.80.
Five SHS girls finished in the top 25 – Alexis Valentine in 12th place at 22:13.01, Mallory Rich in 18th at 22:56.90 17, Mallory Tucker in 21st at 23:16.21, Sydney Hughes in 22nd at 23:16.22 and Zoie Menk in 24th at 23:43.32.