High school teams running toward victory

BISHOP ENGLAND

Defending boys’ Class AAA state champ Bishop England has had a strong season, winning the Region 7-AAA title and finishing second in the Class AAA Lower State meet last weekend. May River edged the Bishops 42-49.

The Bishops’ Mark Richter finished second over the 5K course in 16.58.83, three seconds off the winning pace of Mark Owens of May River.

Logan Desciak finished fifth for the Bishops. Daniel Infante was ninth, Dominic Coffman 16th and Matthew Sawyer 17th for the team, which is seeking its fifth state cross country title.

The Bishop girls finished in fifth place at the Lower State championships with 115 points, well off the pace of the winner Waccamaw, which scored 27 points.

Mary Wallace Rainero led the Bishop girls with a fifth-place finish, while teammate Anika Deveau claimed 10th.

PHILIP SIMMONS

The Philip Simmons boys’ and girls’ teams fared well at the Class AA state qualifier, which was held at the Colonial Cup grounds in Camden, SC.

The varsity boys finished third in the event with 96 points. Greer Middle College Charter won with 67 points, while St. Joseph’s was second with 90 points.

As usual, Noah Ward led Philip Simmons with a first-place finish over the 5K course in 15:49.35, which was more than a minute faster than second-place finisher Brendan McTigue of St. Joseph.

Ward claimed first place in the Class A-AA meet with a time of 15:40.30 over the 5K course. It was the fourth best time of the day, regardless of classification.

Iron Horse teammate Colin Nemeth was 20th at the state qualifier, Henry Woods was 22nd, Thomas Schmenk was 23rd and Ryan Rousseau was 30th.

The girls’ Class AA state qualifier featured St. Joesph edging Philip Simmons, 39-56.

The Iron Horses’ dynamic eighth-grade duo of Hailey Meyers and Josie May finished fourth and fifth overall, respectively. Grace Ward finished 12th, Emma Muller 17th and Liliana Rendon-Chilel was 18th.