BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Keystone Heights High School’s cross-country season came to an end at the Region 1-2A finals, which were held Nov. 14 in Jacksonville.
The top eight teams earned the right to advance to state, while the top four individuals not on a qualifying team will move on as well.
Keystone placed 11th out of 16th in the boys team standings and 12th out of 16 in the girls team standings.
The Keystone runner who was closest to qualifying for state was Ryleigh Thomas, who placed 38th out of 116 with a time of 20:42. She was the seventh highest individual not on a state-qualifying team.
Meoldy Tyre finished five spots behind teammate Thomas running a 43rd-place time of 20:53, while the girls team also had the following results: Tessa Gray 22:33, Olivia Griffin 23:47, Kirsten Lavin 25:46, Bailee Moris 26:01 and Clara Beth Robinson 26:58.
The boys team was led by Noah Yara and Hunter Sheppard, who placed 37th and 38th, respectively, out of 116. Yara’s time was 17:20, while Sheppard’s was 17:22.
Yara and Sheppard had the ninth- and 10th-best times among individuals not on state-qualifying teams.
The Indians’ Hunter Gray ran a 54th-place time of 17:47.
Other Keystone boys results were Ryder Thomas 18:27, Jason Parales 19:48, Ryeland Wahl 20:05 and Gavin Morforrd 20:40.
Bolles won the boys team championship. The Bulldogs also had the individual champion in Aidan Chandler, who ran 15:53.
The girls team champ was Bishop Kenny, while Episcopal’s Kate Brice was the individual winner with a time of 18:07.
This marked the 12th straight year Keystone had a team or an individual compete at the regional level.
