Bruins runners Taylor Caldwell, from left, Alec Thomas, Aaron Thomas, Daniel Hamm and Colton Churich run in a pack during the Region 6-AAA meet.

Lady Raptors capture championship; BHS girls, RHS boys also make state

Brentwood Home Page news reports
Brentwood High senior Paul Stuart won the Region 6-AAA cross country race, and the Bruins had five of the top eight runners to capture the team title Thursday. Ravenwood senior Erika Peoples was runner-up to help lead the Lady Raptors to the girls championship.

The BHS girls took second and the RHS boys placed third to also qualify for the state championship meets Saturday, Nov. 5, over the same 5K Steeplechase course at Percy Warner Park.

The Brentwood boys cross country team celebrates its regional championship on the quest for a state title. (Submitted photos by Nancy Ramsey).

Bruins senior Paul Stuart crosses the finish line in first place.

Brittany Alexander, left, was fourth, and Elizabeth Scott third.

Stuart clocked in at 16 minutes, 6.32 seconds to best Independence senior Jared Wingerter (16:11.72) in the field of 84 runners.

Brentwood sophomore Alec Thomas (16:13.17) finished third, while one of his brothers, senior Nathan Thomas (16:14.62), was just 1.5 seconds back in fifth. Two other Bruins 10th-graders also broke the 17-minute mark: Taylor Caldwell (7th, 16:47.67) and Alec's twin brother Aaron Thomas (8th, 16:53.40).

Under cold, damp and rainy conditions, the Bruins had 24 points to win the regional team competition decisively over second-place Independence (44).

Ravenwood senior Conley Chitwood (16:14.32) had the fourth-best time, helping the Raptors take the third state team spot with 74 points. RHS sophomore Quinn Avirom (17:08.29) was ninth.

Times by Brentwood's Stuart, Alec Thomas and Nathan Thomas and Ravenwood's Conley Chitwood qualified them as Silver Elite status nationally.

The other two non-scoring BHS varsity runners, junior Daniel Hamm (17:32.71) and sophomore Coleman Churitch (17:40.37) were 11th and 13th, each just ahead of Indy's third and fourth scoring runners.

RHS had three other runners in the top 25: senior Daniel Lowe (15th, 17:44.34), junior Paine Leffler (21st) and sophomore Parker Steed (18:14.37). Raptors sophomore Treveor Phillips (29th, 18:18:06) and freshman Hunter Hays (32nd, 18:31.66) also ran in regionals.

Peoples was second only to Franklin senior Rachel Wooten (19:03.68), with Ravenwood scoring 36 points to second-place Brentwood's 60.

Brentwood sophomore Elizabeth Scott (19:47.31) and senior Brittany Alexander (19:48.88) crossed the finish line next in 3-4. The Lady Bruins were without one of their top runners, Katherine Schenck, due to injury.   

The Lady Raptors also had its other four scoring runners finish in the top 10, with junior Dabney Chitwood (20:23.38), freshman Sabrina Florey (20:28.38), senior Rachel Spinden (20:36.44) and junior Madison Lefler (20:39.78) finishing 7th-10th.

RHS freshman Mackenzie Lefler (13th, 20:55.49) and sophomore Abby Finnegan (16th, 21:18.55) also made the top 20.

The Lady Bruins' Allison O'Neill (21:05.51) clocked in with the 14th-best time and sophomore Ansley was 17th (21:19.91). Senior Anne Ramsey was the final scoring runner for BHS and reached the top 25 as well (22nd, 21:54.15).

Brentwood freshman Brianna Koshy (26th, 22:08.74) and senior Kelsey Zeisig (36th, 23:13.26) also ran for the varsity squad in the 65-runner girls field.

Lady Bruins show off second-place plaque.	Allison O'Neill was 14th for BHS.