The Piedmont Wildcats boys cross country team topped the field Wednesday in the Class 5A championship, and the girls team finished sixth and was named as the state academic champs.
Coach Kelly Beck’s team won state in 2018. This season’s title was different with the pandemic challenges each day.
“I’m just really happy for the kids. With everything going on this year there is so much that they have to deal with to fight through and stay focused,” Beck said.
Beckam Hartis and Tanner Bailey were both on the 2018 team, The other five have experienced their first state championship.
Looking ahead, Beck has two juniors, two sophomores and two freshmen coming back.
“We’re really excited we have some kids as freshmen stepping in to help us right away next year,” Beck said.
The accomplishment of the girls team is amazing in a year of COVID-19 and virtual school, he said. The team academic grades were A+.
“I’m very excited for them, they are great kids, just like the boys, they fought through. We had quarantines. We had COVID-19, and injuries, and they didn’t finish the season the way they wanted, but to get that academic state title, that is a huge deal and to work that hard in sports and still to keep your grades up. Every girl on that team had a 4.0,” Beck said.
There will be a break before track season starts.
“We will take a couple of weeks off doing nothing and after Thanksgiving we will get back to it,” Beck said.
He also praised the parents who have supported the program.
“In cross country the parents have to be in shape as well and they support us and everything we need. We are blessed with great people,” Beck said.
The boys took first place overall in the 5K run Wednesday at Edmond Santa Fe High School, clipping Tahlequah, second and Guymon, third. The Piedmont boys score of 52 points and average time of 16:52.14 was led by senior Beckam Hartis who finished second individually.
Hartis had a time of 16:14.75, beaten by Elgin’s Gage Mcelhaney, 16:10.08.
Fares Maarouf, an Oklahoma City University commit, finished ninth individually with a time of 16:51.41.
Colby Ferbrache, a junior, was 10th with a time of 16:54.66. Tanner Bailey finished 14th at 17:04.95.
Reese Fricke, sophomore, finished 20th, 17:14.94.
Dade Humes, freshman, finished 20th, 17:14.94.
Titus Johnson, sophomore, finished 82nd, 19:01.37.
The girls sixth place finish was led by Rachel Caldwell, sophomore, 19th place, 20:46.64, and 25th place finisher Jillian Crawford, a sophomore, 21:05.33.
Aubrey Bray, junior, 39th, finished with a time of 21:31.06.
Sydnie Cox, sophomore, 42nd, had a time of 21:40.58.
Macie Brannum, junior, 21:46.40, finished 45th.
McKenna Auringer, freshman, 22:08.88, finished 49th.
And Naia Shepherd, junior, finished 59th with a time of 22:30.37.
The Piedmont boys cross country team under Coach Kelly Beck won the state championship in 2018 and they were runner-up in 2019.
