The Daviess County Panthers have been the standard when it comes to cross country programs throughout the area, and that trend won’t change this year as the Panthers and Lady Panthers come in at No. 2 in the state rankings. But, runners from Apollo are ready to make some noise as well.
The first wave of boys’ runners in the KHSAA Class 3A State Cross Country Championship takes off at 3:30 p.m. with two more waves to follow. The girls’ first wave goes off at 4:30 p.m.
On the girls’ side, the Lady Panthers dominated the region once again as they were led by senior Emily Ann Roberts.
For Roberts and her teammates, they were a different kind of nervous as they prepared for today.
“I am extremely excited for tomorrow, as is most of the team,” she said. “They described it as the feeling you get Christmas Eve and I’d say that’s spot on.”
Roberts is a member of a large DC senior class on the girls’ side, and she said they’re a big reason for her success.
“I’m proud of the people I run with. I started freshman year with the same people I’m going to end senior year with and I think that’s one of the best feelings anyone can have,” she said. “I know we’re going to do good Saturday because I want to see my teammates happy and I am going to run for them, I’m sure they’re doing the same for me, we’re a family.”
With Roberts and her team in contention for a title, she was clear about which state championship she’d rather have.
“A state championship for the team would be way better than an individual state title,” she said. “I’m sure some will disagree, which I can understand why, but to have a group of people all work together for the same goal and achieve it, there’s no words to explain how someone would feel after that.”
Fellow Lady Panther Ainsley Taylor echoed Roberts’ sentiment.
“It would mean success, hard work, and determination would all come together in one day,” she said. “It would be the best day ever, no matter what happens I know that the hard work we have all put in is worth everything.”
Taylor finished right behind Roberts during the region race. She said she’s going to do everything she can to have fun in her last high school race as she’ll get to hit the course with her best friends.
“It has been the best four years of my life. They are my best friends and I wouldn’t trade them for the world,” she said. “We learn lessons from each other every day and have pushed each other to success.”
For the E-gals, they’ll be led by Ahmira Pickett and Abby Rumage as both posted top-30 finishes last week in Greenville.
Owensboro’s Kiley Palmer and Ashley Colburn will represent the Lady Devils today.
On the boys’ side, Daviess County had four of the top-10 finishers in region as they were led by Alex Adams (5th) and Brady Terry (6th).
Adams said his focus is to run his race and despite it being his only time on the course, he’s ready to give it all he’s got. He said even though they’re ranked second, they’re still not where they want to be.
“We already are the underdogs going into the race,” he said. “We aren’t predicted to win from Milesplit so we can go out and do what we are good at.”
To grab a title today would be huge for Adams and the Panthers.
He said it would be a testament to a lot of hard work.
“Saturday is completely mental,” he said. “My and my team’s fitness and training are there to run with top teams as Coach (Mark) Fortney put a great foundation down leading up to state, giving myself and my team the tools for success, so just overcoming mental roadblocks are huge.
“Finally winning state would be a dream almost four years in the making. My fellow seniors have looked to this day since we were freshmen and we don’t want to waste this opportunity.”
Terry agreed.
“We just have to do what we have done all season at practice, and leave it all out there on the course,” he said. “A individual or team state title would mean so much. Our team has been working for this for the past four years. It’s been a dream of ours and knowing the opportunity is right here is something special.”
Terry said as long as he trusts his training, as Fortney says, he’ll be prepared for the race.
“It’s a very positive mindset, we are ready for this race and we are excited for it, we have put in the work for the past few months, so we know our bodies are ready,” he said.
The Apollo Eagles had the top local finisher a week ago at region as Thomas Ashby finished 3rd, with teammate Nicholas Szemethy grabbing seventh.
Ashby said he hasn’t worried about too much this season as he wasn’t sure what else 2020 would throw at him or anyone else. He said he doesn’t feel pressure with being a high finisher last week, just that he needs to run his race.
“It’ll be interesting this year with the waves but the only thing I need to do is run fast and I’m confident in being able to do that,” he said.
When asked what he needs to run his best race, Ashby is all about the basics.
“I really only need my spikes and a uniform,” he said. “A lot of other conditions won’t matter once you’re on the line.”
Szemethy said he’s going into today with a lot of training as he’s hoping his extra miles throughout the season will help him in crunch time.
He said he feels a little pressure but he’s just ready to get started.
“I need to get a good warmup because it’s going to be cold tomorrow and stretch good and keep focused,” he said.
Owensboro will be led by Nathanael Turner and Adrian Askin, as both posted top 25 finished last week in Muhlenberg County.
The boys’ race starts at 3:30 p.m.
Local runners competing in Lexington
BOYS
Apollo
- M 12 Jake Alvey
- M 10 Thomas Ashby
- M 12 Ethan Bell
- M 10 Michael Gray
- M 11 Jonathan Hooker
- M 09 Austin King
- M 10 Guvner Roebuck
- M 10 Logan Studsill
- M 12 Nicholas Szemethy
- M 09 Josh Thomas
Daviess County
- M 12 Alex Adams
- M 12 Logan Gish
- M 12 Jacob Kirk
- M 09 Nolan Kurz
- M 12 Parker Leachman
- M 10 Bryson McGary
- M 11 Justin Shelton
- M 12 Brady Terry
- M 10 Caleb Tidwell
- M 12 Jake Turner
Owensboro
- M 11 Adrian Askin
- M 12 Nathanael
GIRLS
Apollo
- W 12 Caroline Ashby
- W 12 Natalie Estes
- W 12 Emily French
- W 12 Baylee Hare
- W 09 Adyson Mattingly
- W 10 Ahmira Pickett
- W 09 Sarah Rice
- W 12 Abby Rumage
- W 12 Madeline Wahl
- W 09 Natalie Winfield
Daviess County
- W 12 Katelyn Ahart
- W 11 Elli Crabtree
- W 12 Avery Heath
- W 11 Lauren Howe
- W 10 Kayley Payne
- W 11 Emily Rempe
- W 12 Emily Ann Roberts
- W 12 Kyra Rowan
- W 10 Micah Sagar
- W 12 Ainsley Taylor
Owensboro
- W 11 Ashley Colburn
- W 07 Kiley Palmer
