Owensboro Catholic boys and girls cross country teams showed out in the Region 2 Class 1A Championship on Saturday, both grabbing top-three finishes to qualify for state.
The boys team grabbed second place on the day finishing with a time of 19:27 to put them right behind Bethlehem for the regional title, while the Lady Aces grabbed third place (24:01) behind Green and Hancock County.
The Aces Head Coach Scott Lowe was thrilled with the way his team ran in the regional meet, saying that they exceeded the bar that they set for themselves going into the contest in Bardstown.
“The boys surprised me,” Lowe said. “I was expecting them to finish in the top four or five. They overachieved for sure and ran very well. To finish second was a huge win for us.”
Austin Martin led the way for the Owensboro Catholic boys, serving as the only top-ten finisher in fourth place with a time of 17:24.97. Nolan Murphy wasn’t too far behind, finishing 18th with a time of 19:28.68.
“Austin Martin finished fourth overall for our team,” Lowe said. “He ran very well and had his best run. Nolan Murphy ran his best time of the year with Braden Davis, Austin Marsh and jacob hammen rounding out our top five. For the guys I’m just happy to qualify another year for state. We are going up to have fun.”
For the Lady Aces it was Peyton Reid (21:12.66) and Ainsley Sutter (22:06.24) that led the way, finishing second and fourth overall respectively. Ashlie Hayden (24:22.13), Ella Claire Goetz (24:46.18) and Ruthie Jones (27:38.53) followed suit to round out their top five, finishing 15th, 18th and 34th respectively.
Head Coach Emery Crume was thrilled with the way the team finished, reaching their potential on a big stage when it mattered most.
“I feel very happy with how the girls ran,” Crume said. “They’ve worked incredibly hard this season and you’ve been able to see that in every race. To see the growth from last year to this year is incredible, and I’m so proud they could accomplish the goal of qualifying for the state meet.”
Crume went on to say that they expected themselves to be within the top four if they were able to pack together as tightly as possible. Despite falling just short of grabbing a regional title, Crume was proud of her team for reaching a goal they set for themselves in the preseason after battling injuries and making adjustments throughout the season.
“I am truly just so blessed to be coaching these girls,” Crume said. “They have worked so hard and I would definitely say they are the most improved team in the region. Watching them get PR’s at almost every race this year was a crazy thing to see. They make this job so easy and enjoyable.”
As far as state goes for both teams, Lowe and Crume really just want their teams to focus on reaping the benefits of their hard work this season. Owensboro Catholic cross country has put themselves in a position to compete at state—which is a big accomplishment—and they want their teams to know that going forward the experience that they will gain will be invaluable.
“The goal for that state meet will be to have fun and enjoy the run,” Crume said. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be competing at this meet, and the day should be enjoyed as much as possible. I want the girls to soak up the memories and understand the excitement behind the meet. This week will be relaxed and focused on keeping everyone healthy and ready to run fast on Saturday.”
