2025 AHSAA Cross Country State Championship Recap

Class 1A-2A Boys

Individual Champion: Senior David Layfield of Horseshoe Bend High School captured the 1A-2A individual title in commanding fashion, clocking 16:15.24 to win by over 20 seconds. Layfield capped an outstanding senior campaign with a wire-to-wire performance on the Oakville course.

Other notable individuals: Rounding out the podium were Carter Stephens (Marion County, 16:36.15) and Jackson McGill (Mars Hill Bible, 16:39.24).

Team Championship: In one of the tightest team battles of the weekend, Athens Bible School edged Cold Springs by a single point - 86 to 87 - to claim the 1A-2A state title. The Trojans' consistency proved key, with a 56-second 1-5 split and all scorers under 19 minutes. Pleasant Valley (3rd, 103 pts) and Holy Spirit Catholic (4th, 104 pts) also finished within striking distance.

Class 1A-2A Girls

Individual Champion: Eighth-grader Reese Swidecki of Cold Springs delivered a breakout performance, winning in 19:20.00.  Her victory led a dominating Cold Springs effort.

Other notable individuals: Swidecki's teammates Paizley Whitlow (4th) and Kynzlie Myrex (7th) joined her in the top ten, while Kaylie Key of Athens Bible School (2nd, 19:37.85) and Scarlett Brown of Cedar Bluff (3rd, 19:47.78) rounded out the front pack.

Team Championship: Cold Springs left little doubt, claiming the team title with 45 points and a 3:02 1-5 split. Sand Rock (2nd, 89 pts) and West End (3rd, 123 pts) rounded out the top 3.

Class 3A Boys

Individual Champion: Brady Johnson of Vinemont High School surged to the win in 15:51.42  Johnson showed his dominance in the classification by winning by nearly 30 seconds.

Other notable individuals: Landon Davenport (Wicksburg, 16:19) and Dawson McCollum (Fyffe, 16:33) followed, while Zachary Robinson of St. Luke's rounded out the top 5.

Team Championship: In another razor-thin duel, Montgomery Academy edged St. Luke's Episcopal by just two points, 56-58. The Eagles' 1-5 split of 1:39 and 17:50 average sealed the title, led by top-10 finishes from Farley and Bo Johnston. The Alabama School of Cyber Technology (3rd, 131 pts) impressed with their first-ever team podium finish.

Class 3A Girls

Individual Champion: Saint James junior Elley Goff led from start to finish in 19:28.07, earning her first state title after finishing runner-up the last 3 years. Teammate Molly Phillips finished runner-up (19:51.06), making it a 1-2 sweep for the Trojans.

Other notable individuals: Montgomery Academy's Elle Ingram, Isabella Arnett, and Livia Dwyer finished 3-5, highlighting the program's depth.

Team Championship: Montgomery Academy defended its title with a convincing 30-point total, sweeping five finishers inside the top 12 with a remarkable 20:31 average. St. Luke's Episcopal (2nd, 84 pts) and Saint James (3rd, 99 pts) completed the podium.

Class 4A Boys

Individual Champion: DAR's Bailey Kendrick threw down a blistering 15:45.31, the second-fastest time of the day across all classifications. Kendrick captured his first individual title after finishing runner-up as a junior and finishing 3rd as a sophomore.

Other notable individuals: Joshua Webb (Hamilton, 16:04.87) and Quinn Conroy (Indian Springs, 16:15.96) rounded out the podium, followed closely by Jayden Phelps (Alexandria) and Henry Barber (Bayshore Christian).

Team Championship: Hamilton High School claimed the 4A state crown with 51 points, packing five runners within 1:13 of each other and averaging 16:53. White Plains (2nd, 90 pts) and Bayshore Christian (3rd, 144 pts) followed, while Whitesburg Christian Academy earned a strong 4th-place finish (154 pts).

Class 4A Girls

Individual Champion: Whitesburg Christian Academy's Nora Allan (8th grade) claimed her first state title in dominant fashion, running 18:29.80, one of the fastest times in meet history for a middle school athlete. Her sister Isabelle Allan finished runner-up (19:16.53), completing the family 1-2 sweep.

Other notable individuals: Lillie Meeks and Mary Taylor also landed in the top 12 for Whitesburg, while Allie McTaggart (Bayshore Christian) and Emily Friedel (St. Michael Catholic) rounded out the top five.

Team Championship: It was all Whitesburg Christian Academy, taking the title with 41 points and a 19:52 average.  Whitesburg Christian Academy had the largest margin of victory on the day. Bayshore Christian (2nd, 114 pts) and Altamont (3rd, 126 pts) claimed podium spots, while Plainview (4th) and Alexandria (5th) rounded out the top five.

Class 5A Boys

Individual Champion: Scottsboro's Ryder Linville delivered a clutch postseason win in what has to be one of the closest finishes in Alabama history, taking the 5A title in 16:00.36, edging Weaver Caldwell (Westminster OM) and Rua Mathis (Jacksonville) by fractions of a second.

Other notable individuals: Linville was joined in the top ten by teammate Keyton Allen (5th, 16:09), giving Scottsboro key low points in a stacked field.

Team Championship: Scottsboro High School defended its 5A state crown with 57 points, narrowly ahead of Westminster at Oak Mountain (67). The Wildcats' tight 1:05 spread and 16:37 average again proved championship-caliber, as Providence Christian (3rd, 123 pts) and Guntersville (4th, 158 pts) rounded out the top five.

Class 5A Girls

Individual Champion: Brewer's Rose Betts closed her senior season with a resounding 18:33.21 victory - the fastest 5A girls' time and one of the top overall marks statewide.

Other notable individuals: Katie Mae Coan (Lawrence County) and Banks Bradford (Scottsboro) placed second and third, while Katie Dumas (Lawrence County) and Reese Avenel (Scottsboro) also cracked the top five.

Team Championship: Lawrence County High School reclaimed its team dominance, scoring 45 points with three runners in the top ten and a 20:04 average. Scottsboro (2nd, 53 pts) and Westminster OM (3rd, 105 pts) rounded out the podium, continuing North Alabama's strength in 5A.

Class 6A Boys

Individual Champion: Hazel Green's Nehemiah Johnson capped his breakout season moving from 3rd early in the race to victory in 15:49.85, holding off Mountain Brook's Braden Little and Whit Thornton (Briarwood) in a thrilling finish.  Johnson's title marks the 2nd straight individual title for Hazel Green, prior to 2024 Hazel Green had never had an individual title.

Other notable individuals:  Mountain Brook placed three in the top seven, showcasing its depth with Oliver Mange and William Morgan right behind Little.

Team Championship: Mountain Brook High School continued its dynasty, winning the 6A title with 44 points and a remarkably tight 0:31 split. Their 16:09 average was among the fastest of any team all day. Homewood (2nd, 111 pts) and Cullman (3rd, 155 pts) rounded out the top three.

Class 6A Girls

Individual Champion: Hartselle's Grace Goldman stormed to victory in 18:15.34, outpacing Francesca Demarco (Mountain Brook) and Kate Sanders (Athens) in a highly competitive field.

All-State Finishers: Mountain Brook packed four in the top eight - Demarco, Hamilton, Stuckey, and Erdberg - securing valuable low points.

Team Championship: The depth proved decisive as Mountain Brook High School once again claimed gold, scoring 36 points with a 19:17 average. Homewood (84 pts) and Saraland (107 pts) completed the podium in one of the deepest 6A fields to date.

Class 7A Boys

Individual Champion: Huntsville's Charles Pearson delivered his biggest win on the largest stage winning the 7A crown in 15:25.85.  Giving Huntsville back to back individual state titles.

Other notable individuals: Charlie Hollingsworth (Florence) and Jack Shattuck (Grissom) followed in 2nd and 3rd.  Jackson Mize, Ethan Meadows, Mason Thompson, Daniel Johnson, and John Hayes of Vestavia Hills all finished in the top 12, setting up remarkable team performance.  

Team Championship: Vestavia Hills High School reclaims the 7A title with a dominant 43-point total, powered by a historic 0:16 split and 16:00 team average - the tightest compression across all classes. Hoover (2nd, 64 pts) and Huntsville (3rd, 80 pts) rounded out a tight team battle.

Class 7A Girls

Individual Champion: Hoover's Reese Gonzalez, just an eighth-grader, stole the show with a sensational 17:57.58 - the fastest girls' time of the day and lowered her personal best by over 30 seconds.

Other notable individuals: Auburn's Sarah Tole (18:12.24) and Opelika's Caroline Couey (18:16.29) joined Gonzalez on the podium. Hoover, Vestavia Hills, and Hewitt-Trussville both placed multiple athletes in the top 10.

Team Championship: In a razor-close finish, Auburn High School edged Vestavia Hills, Hewitt-Trussville, and Huntsville with 80 points to claim the 7A girls' crown. Only 12 points separated 1st from 4th place in what had to be the most nail biting race of the day.