Iron Horse cross country teams run away with state titles

While the Philip Simmons High School girls’ cross-country team is beginning to reach the dynasty stage, the boys’ team has also reached the top step of the victors’ stand for the first time, when they were crowned the Class AA state champs on Nov. 22. 

 

The Iron Horse boys gained a 39-42 victory over Region 6-AA foe Academic Magnet High School at The Farm at Newberry College to win its first state title after three second-place finishes in six years. The girls’ team, meanwhile, won its third consecutive state championship with a 48-76 victory over the Magnet girls. 

 

“It wasn’t a matter of keeping up with the girls,” said Josh Michael, who coaches both the boys’ and girls’ teams. “The boys wanted to win it, and they wanted to cement their legacy. Overall, it was a great day to be an Iron Horse runner.” 

 

The Iron Horses have been blessed with distance runners since the school opened. That translates to success during the spring track and field season and in the fall when cross country is contested. 

 

Both teams are young, so the success should continue in the foreseeable future. The team is also talented. That includes junior sensation Avah Mallek, who won her second straight individual gold medal with a time of 19 minutes and 12.56 seconds over the 5-kilometer course.

 

“She just loves to compete,” Michael said. “The bigger the meet, the bigger her performance. She really thrives in big situations. She is a special athlete. She began as a soccer player and transitioned to running. She’s a great competitor, and she doesn’t like to lose.” 

 

Mallek has had a big role for the track and field team as well. She is one of the top performers on a team that is expected to contend for a state championship in May 2025 after earning a silver medal in the 1,600-meter run and a bronze in the 3,200 at the state championships in 2024. 

 

Flynn Taylor finished eighth, Laura Perry 11th, Lilah May 12th, and Anna Alomar was 16th. Mallek, Taylor, Perry, and May earned all-state honors by finishing in the top 15. 

 

The boys were even more impressive at the season finale as all five of their runners earned all-state honors in Newberry. 

 

Joseph Wright led the Iron Horse charge with a silver medal, finishing with a time of 16:08.02 over the 5-kilometer course. Pierce Walker was seventh, Matthew Perry held down ninth, Brian Stambaugh was 10th, and Grady Castigilia was 11th. 

 

“The boys’ team had so many solid efforts,” Michael said. “Everyone pulls for each other, wanting their teammates to succeed, which leads to team success. Whatever it takes. We have three seniors on the team and all the underclassmen wanted them to succeed and go out as winners.” 

 

The Iron Horse boys flexed their muscles last week at the Class AA state qualifier, dominating the field by grabbing the top five individual places to finish with a perfect score of 15 in their division, well ahead of second- and third-place finishers Brashier and Greenville Charter.