Local cross-country teams from all three high schools qualified for the state championship meet this coming weekend in Aiken.

The South Carolina High School League state championships for all classifications will be held at the Aiken Steeplechase on Saturday, Nov. 14, starting off with the 5A girls at 9 a.m. This past weekend qualifiers were held at the Newberry College cross-country course.

In the 5A state qualifier on Friday, Nov. 6, the Fort Mill boys won their race with 39 points and were led by Owen Ware, who was third overall in 17:09. Hudson Haley was fourth in 17:12 and Ian Zook was sixth in 17:19. Jacob Audley was seventh in 17:20 and Nolan Sova finished the scoring in 19th in 17:46.

The Fort Mill girls finished second in their race with 83 points and were led by Lauren Allen with a fourth-place finish in 20:11. Mia Zook was eighth in 20:27 and Bailey Nolin was 14th in 20:45. Kaylee Rovenstine finished 25th in 21:17 with Rachel Vinson rounding out the scoring in 32nd in 21:44.

In the 4A qualifier on Saturday, Nov. 7, the Nation Ford boys won their race with 69 points and was led by Sparsh Vaghani in 17:21. Alejandro Luna was 13th in 17:41 and Richard Bailey was next in 14th with the same time. Robert Saddler was 15th just one second back in 17:42 and Nick LaSala completed the scoring finishing 18th in 17:49 for the Falcons.

The Catawba Ridge boys were second in their race with 82 points as Ryan Pierson won the race in 16:57 for the Copperheads. Tyler Merrigan was sixth in 17:21 and William Kowalski was 15th in 17:44. Landry MacDonald was nearby in 18th in 17:50 and Mason Greear was 42nd to round out the scoring in 18:32.

In the girls 4A qualifier, Nation Ford finished third with 111 points as Haley Garcia led with a third-place finish in 19:51. Karson Woodring was 15th for the Falcons in 20:45 and Eva Mabey was 16th in 20:46. Madison Frazier was 39th in 22:18 and Brooklyn Cox was 42nd in 22:24.

The Catawba Ridge girls finished fifth with 145 points and were led by Dorothy Artley in 13th in 20:49. Olivia Gillespie was 17th in 21:17 and Karley Johnson was 25th in 21:48. Morgan Hartley was 39th in 22:16 and Adele Beard rounded out the scoring in 51st in 22:35.

Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep