By John Goolsby, Prep Sports Editor
HOOVER – Trussville Tribune area cross country teams were in action this past Thursday for the AHSAA Cross Country Sectionals.
Hewitt-Trussville and Shades Valley competed at Veterans Park in Hoover.
Leeds, Moody, and Springville competed at Munny Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa.
Center Point’s boys competed in 6A Section 5 in Scottsboro.
The Hewitt girls won 7A Section 3 ahead of Chelsea, Hoover, and Vestavia.
Kinley Harris was the top Hewitt runner with a second-place finish, just ahead of teammate Avery Cahoon in the third spot.
The Husky boys turned in a third-place finish behind Vestavia and Oak Mountain.
Shades Valley finished fifth in 6A Section 4 behind Mountain Brook, Homewood, Briarwood Christian, and Gardendale.
Five Lady Mounties will be heading to the state championship meet as individual qualifiers: Elizabeth Harris, Lauren Lindsey, Grace Lindsey, Abbey Nelson, and Kristina Whaley.
The Shades Valley boys finished sixth.
Brian Moose, Ashton Crawford, and Aaron Gaines will head to the state meet for the Mounties as individual qualifiers.
The course at Veterans underwent significant changes over the last year and proved to be a faster course.
“It was definitely a different experience this year than last year,” said Briarwood Christian senior Drew Goolsby. “Going into the woods first and then doing the lake loop was very unusual.”
“Also, knowing the big hill was cut out from the course was nice.”
In Girls 6A Section 3, Springville finished sixth, Moody was ninth, and Leeds was tenth.
Carmen McMaster and Felicity Bentley will head to the state meet as individual qualifiers for the Tigers.
In Boys 6A Section 3, Springville finished seventh, Leeds was ninth, and Moody was tenth.
Elliott Denard will race at the state meet as an individual qualifier for Springville.
The Center Point boys team finished in sixth place in 6A Section 5.
The State meet takes place this Saturday in Oakville.