Siloam Springs is shooting for its third straight 6A girls state cross country championship on Saturday in Hot Springs, but last Thursday the Lady Panthers earned a different trophy on their home course.
Siloam Springs had four runners finish in the top 10 at the 6A-West Conference Meet, and the Lady Panthers scored 37 points to win the conference championship on the grounds of Simmons Foods.
6A-West Conference cross country championships
at Simmons Foods Course, Siloam Springs
Boys
Team scores — 1. Lake Hamilton 17, 2. Greenwood 63, 3. Siloam Springs 69, 4. Benton 107, 5. Sheridan 142, 6. Russellville 145, 7. El Dorado 225.
Individual results — 1. Colby Swecker, Lake Hamilton, 16:49.42; 2. Mckree Martin, Lake Hamilton, 17:24.21; 3. Cody Weldon, Lake Hamilton, 17:25.90; 4. Zack Looper, Greenwood, 17:26.08; 5. Hunter Tucker, Lake Hamilton, 17:38.80; 6. Skylar Davis, Lake Hamilton, 17:54.65; 7. Omar Ramos, Lake Hamilton, 17:57.72; 8. Nathaniel Gonzales, Greenwood, 18:01.65; 9. Parker Wallis, Siloam Springs, 18:02.75; 10. Joseph Wittig, Greenwood, 18:07.13; 11. Christian Wilkerson, Sheridan, 18:11.97; 12. Isaac Leachman, Siloam Springs, 18:14.90; 13. James Yeager, Greenwood, 18:16.95; 14. J.T. Griffin, Lake Hamilton, 18:26.32; 15. Noah Smith, Lake Hamilton, 18:27.28; 16. Ramon Morales, Lake Hamilton, 18:31.91; 17. Charlie Jones, Siloam Springs, 18:36.00; 18. Nick Davis, Lake Hamilton, 18:36.76; 19. Carlos Reyes, Siloam Springs, 18:42.33; 20. Christian Silvar, Lake Hamilton, 18:42.52.
Other Siloam Springs finishers: 21. Kerrig Kelly, 18:48.28; 26. Daniel Norwood, 19:10.32; 28. Chandler Stewart, 19:19.42; 29. Samuel Granderson, 19:20.08; 31. Caleb Ellis, 19:22.65; 32. David Williams, 19:25.13; 43. Isaac Price, 19:59.22; 53. Eli Hawbaker, 20:33.27; 59. Tyler Sharp, 20:57.69; 61. Logan McLeod, 20:59.54;
Girls
Team scores — 1. Siloam Springs 37, 2. Lake Hamilton 48, 3. Russellville 50, 4. Greenwood 121, 5. Sheridan 132, 6. Benton 163, Inc. El Dorado only 3 finishers.
Individual results — 1. Josie Carson, Lake Hamilton, 19:41.79; 2. Charissa Helms, Russellville, 20:46.25; 3. Candy Dubon, Siloam Springs, 20:50.05; 4. Allyson Babb, Russellville, 20:58.65; 5. Jenny Kirschman, Lake Hamilton, 21:03.11; 6. Jasmine Guillen, Siloam Springs, 21:04.05; 7. Taylor Koeth, Greenwood, 21:11.51; 8. Brittany Pilcher, Siloam Springs, 21:18.47; 9. Chloe McGooden, Siloam Springs, 21:19.38; 10. Astrid Christensen, Russellville, 21:19.60; 11. Caroline Farine, Siloam Springs, 21:27.57; 12. Anacaron Ramos, Lake Hamilton, 21:35.80; 13. Jessica Jennings, Lake Hamilton, 21:42.33; 14. Katelyn Bradley, Russellville, 21:43.10; 15. Allika Pearson, Siloam Springs, 21:43.93; 16. Josie Nix, Sheridan, 21:54.32; 17. Morgan Pruitt, Lake Hamilton, 21:59.45; 18. Anna Cole, Lake Hamilton, 22:10.07; 19. Rebekah Rodgers, Siloam Springs, 22:15.30; 20. Madelyn Hubbard, Russellville, 22:15.30.
Other Siloam Springs finishers: 21. Kimberly Guillen, 22:20.40; 22. Rachel Thompson, 22:21.99, 26. Kailey Pentz, 22:49.49; 36. Lily Slater, 23:42.68; 40. Megan Rush, 23:57.21; 51. Abigail Cole, 25:05.42; 65. Whitney Burns, 26:46.54; 66. Katie Bishop 26:46.55; 73. Mary Grace Green, 28:46.01.
NOTE: Texarkana did not attend 6A-West Conference Meet.
The Lady Panthers finished 11 points in front of second place Lake Hamilton, which finished with 48 points and had the overall winner in junior Josie Carson. Russellville took third place with 50 points, followed by Greenwood 121, Sheridan 132 and Benton 163. El Dorado only had three competitors, two short of the five required to field a team score, and Texarkana did not attend either the girls or boys meet.
"It finished about the way we expected it to, but I'm telling you I was nervous in that girls race because Russellville was coming on, which makes it more exciting," said Siloam Springs head coach Sharon Jones. "And I love having it here. I think our kids were super excited. You know I warned them. A lot of times we hold back on our course, because we know how hard our course is, but I don't think we did today. I think they all ran super aggressive."
Carson, the two-time defending 6A state champion, was the only girls runner to break the 20-minute mark, finishing in 19 minutes, 41.79 seconds. She finished more than a minute ahead of second place Charissa Helms of Russellville, who came in at 20:46.25.
Freshman Candy Dubon of Siloam Springs placed third at 20:50.05, followed by Russellville's Allyson Babb and Lake Hamilton's Jenny Kirschman in fourth and fifth, respectively.
Siloam Springs senior Jasmine Guillen, who's finished as state runner-up behind Carson the last two years, finished sixth at 21:04.05.
"It's so exciting for Candy," Jones said. "I feel for Jasmine, because you know Jasmine has been hurt. But I'm so proud of her and her attitude. When I went to see her at the training table, she said, 'Did you see Candy?' .... She's genuinely excited for Candy, and we all are."
Brittany Pilcher and Chloe McGooden, both of Siloam Springs, took eighth and ninth respectively. Pilcher finished in 21:18.47, while McGooden passed Russellville's Astrid Christensen at the finish line with a time of 21:19.38. The top 10 finishers received medals.
"I told Brittany early in that race you cannot let any red pass you," Jones said. "No red or maroon. She held her own. She did so good."
Caroline Farine was Siloam Springs' fifth scorer in 11th place at 21:27.57, as the Lady Panthers' third, fourth and fifth scorers combined for 28 points, while Lake Hamilton's same spots scored 42 and Russellville 44.
"Caroline's been hurt all year, too," Jones said. "She ran her heart out."
Allika Pearson placed 15th overall at 21:43.93, while Rebekah Rodgers was 19th at 22:15.30.
Kimberly Guillen was 21st at 22:20.40, while Rachel Thompson was 22nd at 22:21.99, followed by Kaily Pentz in 26th at 22:49.49.
Lily Slater was 36th at 23:42.68, while Megan Rush was 40th at 23:57.21, Abigail Cole 51st at 25:05.42, Whitney Burns 65th at 26.46.54, Katie Bishop 66th at 26:46.55 and Mary Grace Green 73rd at 28:46.01.
Lake Hamilton wins boys meet
Three-time defending 6A state champion Lake Hamilton crushed the competition in the boys meet, finishing with 17 points and securing six of the top seven spots overall and 11 of the top 20.
"I feel good about the top group there," said Lake Hamilton coach Karl Koonce. "Certainly we've got a lot of respect for the competition here today. ... We've got to do it again next week."
Greenwood was second with 63 points, followed by Siloam Springs 69, Benton 107, Sheridan 142, Russellville 145 and El Dorado 225.
Lake Hamilton sophomore Colby Swecker ran a time of 16:49 to finish first overall. Swecker's Wolves teammates McKree Martin and Cody Weldon finished second and third, respectively, while Greenwood's Zack Looper was fourth. Lake Hamilton had the fifth, sixth and seventh place finishers in Hunter Tucker, Skylar Davis and Omar Ramos.
Parker Wallis was Siloam Springs' top finisher in ninth place at 18:02.75 and received a medal.
"Parker I felt started out a little bit conservative, but then he was like, 'OK I'm in it,'" Jones said.
Isaac Leachman was 12th at 18:14.90, while Charlie Jones placed 17th at 18:36.00.
Carlos Reyes was the Panthers' fourth finisher in 19th place at 18:42.33, while Kerrig Kelly was 21st at 18:48.28, followed by Daniel Norwood in 26th at 19:10.32, Chandler Stewart 28th at 19:19.42 and Samuel Granderson 29th at 19:20.08.
Caleb Ellis finished 31st at 19:22.65, while David Williams was 32nd at 19:25.13, Isaac Price 43rd at 19:59.22, Eli Hawbaker 53rd at 20:33.27, Tyler Sharp 59th at 20:57.69 and Logan McLeod 61st at 20:59.54.
"We had a lot of boys competing for those top nine spots, vying for a position to go to state," Jones said. "I have never seen a finish like those boys fighting for those last spots coming in. They make it really hard on us."
Sports on 11/06/2016