FINISH LINE

By Chantel March
Sports Correspondent

Summer Dearing, a seventh grade student at Grant County Middle School, competes in the Class 3A State Cross Country Championships.

Runners from across the state travelled to the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington Nov. 10 for the KHSAA Cross Country state championship meet. Three members of the Grant County High School team raced individually in the Class 3A division.

Freshman Hayley Leach made her third appearance in a state championship.  She ran the 5-kilometer course in 22 minutes, 12.79 seconds, placing 105th. Her teammate, seventh-grader Summer Dearing qualified for a state meet for the first time, placing 219th overall.  

“I was proud to be here, and happy that Summer and I both could run,” said Leach, “I look forward to more of the girls’ team being here next year.”

Jordan Rose ran in the boys’ 5-kilometer race, placing 152nd overall, with a time of 18 minutes, 45.22 seconds.  
“I was happy with my placement and ran as hard as I could today. I’m hoping for three more years at state in the future,” said Rose.
As the only senior on the team this year, Jared Baker also attended the meet with his teammates in a show of leadership and support.

Baker missed qualifying for state as an individual by two spots.  After graduation next spring, he hopes to continue running while attending college.

Overall, Coach Craig Chaplin is proud of his team’s work this year.  
“They’ve done everything I’ve asked of them and improved over the season. It paid off by having us qualify for state this year,” Chaplin said.

With nearly all of their members returning next year, Chaplin predicts the team will only get better.