Patriots sweep state titles
MOULTON – The Homewood High School cross-country teams swept Class 6A titles at the AHSAA State Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 12.
The Homewood girls totaled 51 points to finish well ahead of Florence’s 103. It was the first girls state cross-country championship in school history.
The Homewood boys, on the other hand, clinched their fifth consecutive state title with a 55-72 triumph over runner-up Cullman.
“It’s crazy to think that we just won both of them,” said Homewood head cross-country coach Lars Porter. “It’s a reflection of their hard work and what they’ve done. In some ways it’s shocking that they were able to come together and pull it off, and in other ways they just did what they’ve been doing all season.”
Freshman Lainey Phelps and sophomore Will Stone propelled their respective teams to the marquee victories.
Phelps pulled away from the field 10 seconds into her race and never looked back. She completed the 5K course at Oakville Indian Mounds Park in 18 minutes, 2.13 seconds – a mark that bested her nearest competitor by 79 seconds.
It was her first individual state title.
“Unbelievable maturity to run 18:02 all by herself from start to finish,” Porter said.
Stone and teammate Paul Selden worked together throughout the race as they battled Opelika’s Ben Garner. Garner entered the meet with the state’s fastest time, but he had reportedly been dealing with an injury in the weeks leading up to state.
Stone, Selden and Garner ran as a pack for a solid chunk of the race. But with less than a mile to go, Stone pushed through a cramp and made the decisive move.
He gradually opened a gap over the final mile and finished in 16:01.40. Garner took second in 16:13.60, and Selden took third in 16:17.57.
Like Phelps, the achievement signified Stone’s first individual state title.
“It puts you in a place that’s almost insurmountable when, through two runners, you score four points," Porter said. "The pressure that puts on other teams to have to do something extraordinary, beyond what just the normal is, is a great place to be.”
Homewood girls top five finishers:
Lainey Phelps – 1st – 18:02.12 – All-State
Celie Jackson – 5th – 19:32.26 – All-State
Audrey Nabors – 9th – 19:52.94 – All-State
Hanna Brook Gibbons – 16th – 20:15.99
Caroline Smith – 20th – 20:40.18
Homewood boys top five finishers:
Will Stone – 1st – 16:01.4 – All-State
Paul Selden – 3rd – 16:17.57 – All-State
Alvin Finch – 14th – 17:08.67 – All-State
Carson Bedics – 15th - 17:10.63 – All-State
Azariah Kipchumba – 29th – 17:34.77
*Extended state meet coverage will appear in December's print edition of The Homewood Star.