The Catawba Ridge Copperheads cross-country teams won the Region 3-4A titles Wednesday with a blistering pace at the Anne Springs Close Greenway.
The boys’ team won with a score of 19, while Lancaster came in second with a 63. Catawba Ridge was led by Sam Rich, who won the boys’ race in 14:27. He was followed by Caden Westover in second place in 15:44 and Josh Silverman in third in 16:14. Spencer Predmore finished fifth in 16:42 and Ty Massey came in seventh for Catawba Ridge in 16:57.
The girls’ team won with a score of 28, while Indian Land was second with a 53. Maddy Mack led the Copperheads coming in at 19:16. Hunter Mattes was fifth overall in 20:55, followed by Peyton Pierson in sixth at 20:59, Sophia Commerford came in seventh at 21:12 and Talia Gluff in eighth in 21:17.
All times in the race were faster due to a shorter course, according to Copperheads’ head coach David Helms.
Catawba Ridge will now turn their attention to the state qualifier which will be Oct. 30 at Lake Murray in Chapin.
The S.C. High School League also announced Wednesday the changing of the dates for the state championship meet next month. The dates for the meet were originally scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6 and Saturday, Nov. 7, but will now be held earlier that week.
The 4A meet, which is what Catawba Ridge would be running in, will now be at 11:30 a.m. for the girls and noon for the boys Thursday, Nov. 5. The 5A state championship will be 9 a.m. for the girls and 9:30 a.m. for the boys Friday, Nov. 6. The state championship meet will be back at the Sandhills Research Center in Columbia this year, but the course will be different. Only 12 teams per gender, per classification will qualify for the state meet.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
