BOYS RUNNER OF THE YEAR
Jack Williams
School Fayetteville
Class Senior
Height 5-10
THE SCOOP Williams saved his best for last when he won the Class 6A boys individual title last month at Hot Springs with a time of 15 minutes, 38.44 seconds, slightly more than 10 seconds faster than runner-up Dawson Mayberry of Bentonville. ... It avenged his loss in the 6A-West Conference meet when he finished second behind Dylan Mayberry 10 days earlier, as well as the Lake Hamilton Invitational, when he finished third behind the twin brothers. ... Williams actually had a better time at the Lake Hamilton Invitational, when he crossed the finish line in 15:36.10.
DID YOU KNOW? The only other cross country race Williams won this season was the Cyclone Invitational in Russellville, when he turned in a time of 16:04.50 and finished more than 10 seconds ahead of runner John Sutton of Conway.
QUOTABLE "The season started out not the way I wanted it to do," Williams said. "Of course, I wanted to win the first race and didn't, and I realized I wasn't in shape as good as I thought I was. Luckily, the coach timed it perfectly and set us up where we were going to peak at the right time. Coming around to state, I hadn't beaten some of the top guys in the state, but when it happened to matter in the state meet, I was in perfect shape and peaking at the perfect time to win that meet."
GIRLS RUNNER OF THE YEAR
Carson Wasemiller
School Fayetteville
Class Sophomore
Height 5-7
THE SCOOP Wasemiller not only won the Class 6A girls individual cross country title last month in Hot Springs, but she bettered the course record with her winning time of 18 minutes, 14.04 seconds. ... Wasemiller finished 25 seconds faster than Rogers sophomore Mia Loafman, who won the 6A-West Conference title 10 days earlier, and more than 40 seconds faster than three-time state champion Ali Nachtigal. ... Her performance was a turnaround from the 6A-West meet, where Wasemiller finished 21 seconds behind Loafman and 4 seconds behind Nachtigal.
DID YOU KNOW? Wasemiller gave a prelude to what she would do in the state meet on Oct. 17 when she won the Lake Hamilton Invitational on the same course. She finished the 5,000-meter course in 18:36.3, more than 27 seconds ahead of second-place Emily Robinson of Bentonville.
QUOTABLE "It was an interesting year," Wasemiller said. "I had some problems with iron deficiency, but once I got that fixed I ended up being fine. The Chile Pepper was the meet that turned things around. I didn't break 18 minutes, and that was my goal for the year. Going into state, I knew I had nothing to lose. I didn't win conference, but that wasn't discouraging at all. It encouraged me to push myself harder."
All-State Cross Country
CLASS 6A
Boys
Aidan McDaniel, Bentonville; Daniel Ratliff, Bentonville; Dawson Mayberry, Bentonville; Dylan Mayberry, Bentonville; Simon Pisciotti, Bentonville; Keegan Terrell, Bentonville West; Grayson Young, Cabot; John Sutton, Conway; Hudson Betts, Fayetteville; Jack Williams, Fayetteville; James Eslick, Springdale Har-Ber; Jonathan Mendez, Springdale Har-Ber; Jonny Cordero, Springdale Har-Ber; Isaac Teague, Fort Smith Southside.
Girls
Devyn O'Daniel, Bentonville; Emily Robinson, Bentonville; Kayla Hurley, Bentonville; Macey Hurley, Bentonville; Madison Galindo, Bentonville; Ashley Sexton, Fayetteville; Carson Wasemiller, Fayetteville; Mary Margaret Harris, Fayetteville; Abby Elcan, Springdale Har-Ber; Addison Wicklund, Rogers; Ali Nachtigal, Rogers; Hailey Day, Rogers; Mia Loafman, Rogers.
CLASS 5A
Boys
Jadon Cunningham, El Dorado; Dominic Ward, Greenbrier; Logan Gates, Greenbrier; Noah Embrey, Greenwood; Ethan Smith, Lake Hamilton; Evan Armitage, Lake Hamilton; Nathan Miller, Lake Hamilton; Zeke McCain, Lake Hamilton; Joseph Bariola, Hot Springs Lakeside; Andrew Westphal, Mountain Home; Bryson Hodges, Mountain Home; Hendrix Hughes, Mountain Home; Ky Bickford, Mountain Home; Tyler Firment, Mountain Home; Whit Lawrence, Mountain Home; Carter Sykes, Russellville; Skyler Thomas, Russellville; Michael Capehart, Siloam Springs; David Adams, Vilonia; Tate Smithhart, Vilonia.
Girls
Emma Selph, Benton; Presley Roberts, Greenbrier; Ashley Koeth, Greenwood; Macie Cash, Greenwood; Madelyn Wilkinson, Greenwood; Henley Rogers, Jonesboro; Mary Beth Bailey, Jonesboro; Olivia Pielemeier, Lake Hamilton; Natalie Jennings, Hot Springs Lakeside; Whitley Terry, Hot Springs Lakeside; Jordan Ritenburg, Mountain Home; Marcie Cudworth, Mountain Home; Rylee Patterson, Mountain Home; Ashlynn Prindle, Russellville; Quincy Efurd, Siloam Springs; Aubree Wille, Van Buren; Laynie White, Vilonia; Sophie Havens, Vilonia.
CLASS 4A
Boys
Jacob Lopez, Berryville; Daniel Sanderson, Clarksville; Matthew Dunsworth, Clarksville; Baltazar Garcia, Dardanelle; Skylar Wrinkle, Dardanelle; Gustavo Garcia, De Queen; Johnny Sanchez, De Queen; Hayden Quintero, Gravette; Wesley Wilson, Gravette; Nathan Poff, Heber Springs; Preston Wright, Highland; Logan Myers, Mena; Tre McMellon, Mena; A.J. Post, Ozark; Grandon Grant, Pea Ridge; Josiah Small, Pea Ridge; Levi Schultz, Pea Ridge; Hassan Sardar, Pulaski Academy; Max Linares, Subiaco Academy; Brit Hawkins, Valley View.
Girls
Rylee Walker, Brookland; Chloe Weathers, Clarksville; Lyric Nichols, Clarksville; Macy Weathers, Clarksville; Camryn Casey, Harrison; Cantley Gosdin, Monticello; Harmony Reynolds, Pea Ridge; Liz Vazques, Pea Ridge; Maggie Gregory, Pottsville; Emma Hancock, Pulaski Academy; Kate Duddleston, Shiloh Christian; Elise Knight, Valley View; Kendal Minton, Valley View; Madden Rogers, Valley View; Reese McMilland, Valley View; Sophey Pope, Valley View.
CLASS 3A
Boys
Owen Shafer, Bald Knob; Austin Hill, Booneville; Luke Walling, Cave City; Luis Morales, Centerpoint; Patricio Ramirez, Centerpoint; Brolan Griffeth, LR Episcopal Collegiate; Ramsey Jennings, LR Episcopal Collegiate; Aidan Rheay, Haas Hall-Fayetteville; Jack Waggoner, Haas Hall-Fayetteville; Lawson Wideman, Jessieville; Noah Zetts, Jessieville; Connor Jackson, Manila, Jaxson Everett, West Fork.
Girls
Maddie Cabana, Clinton; Carley Nantze, Dover; Molly Weilert, Haas Hall-Fayetteville; Abigail White, Harding Academy; Juliah Rodgers, Jessieville; Sadie McDonald, Manila; Maria Grano, Waldron; Abby Rochelle, West Fork; Makenzie Greenlee, West Fork; Nealie Den Herder, West Fork.
CLASS 2A
Boys
Damian Bohlman, Acorn; Issac Tedder, Acorn; Justice Neufeld, Acorn; Derian Yang, Arkansas Arts Academy; Josh Tibbs, Conway Christian; Jacen Heiner, Haas Hall-Bentonville; Jacob Tyburski, Haas Hall-Bentonville; Nic Shue, Quitman; Tate Stacks, Quitman; Christian Skinner, Conway St. Joseph; Truman Martin, Conway St. Joseph.
Girls
Allison Weaver, Bigelow; Jada Harrell, Bigelow; Katelyn Provence, Cedar Ridge; Faith Rainwater, Mansfield; Ali Looney, Parkers Chapel; Silver Mulliniks, Quitman; Taylor Hooten, Quitman; Ashleigh Mallett, Conway St. Joseph.
CLASS 1A
Boys
Carson Jefford, Abundant Life; Josh McCullough, Haas Hall-Rogers; Joseph Garay, Hermitage; Ryan Kotoucek, NWA Classical; Will Scheland, Thaden School; Carson Stark, Greers Ferry West Side; Dax Hipp, Greers Ferry West Side; Travis Gentry, Greers Ferry West Side.
Girls
Aubrey Henderson, Jasper; Lillian Hellwig, NWA Classical; Tessa Kuyknedall, Ouachita; Mary Helen Schaefer, Ozark Catholic; Abbey Linville, Rural Special; Haley Gentry, Greers Ferry West Side; Kadence Dilks, Greers Ferry West Side.