By Erik Harris, sports editor
DANVILLE — The top distance runners in the state took the track on Saturday for the 65th Alabama High School Athletic Association State Cross Country Championships.
Springville senior Beth Ann Tucker finished third overall in the Class 6A girls race, Hewitt-Trussville junior Maci Mills paced the Husky girls to third place in Class 7A and the Hewitt boys finished fourth in the state on Saturday in Danville.
The championships were held at the Oakville Indian Mounds Park & Museum course near Moulton.
Tucker was the top individual finisher among Tribune-area runners, claiming third place among 6A girls with a time of 19:15.91. Fellow Springville senior Madelynn Grace Mathews took 11th overall with a time of 19:54.90, as the Tiger girls placed 9th as a team.
The Springville boys finished 15th in the state thanks in part to freshman Pete Harned who came through at 51st with a time of 17:44.81.
In Class 7A, the Hewitt-Trussville girls took third place after three runners delivered top-25 runs. Mills, a junior, led the way with a 13th-place finish, freshman Kylee Sisk placed 18th and senior Amelia Brady came through at 23rd. Freshmen Kinley Harris (31st) and Avery Cahoon (44th) also chipped in for the Huskies.
Nathan Knox led the Hewitt-Trussville boys to fourth place in the team standings. The senior clocked a time of 16:24.35, which was good enough for 18th individually, while Mitchell Phillips (19th), Aaron Himes (24th), and Tristan Teer (30th) also ran well for the Huskies.