Lamar finishes in top four in cross country at State meet

By By Jeff Byrd / staff writer
Oct. 31, 2002
The Lamar School Raiders and Lady Raiders closed out the cross country season on Tuesday at the State AAA meet at the Choctaw Trails at Mississippi College in Clinton.
The Raiders had a shot to finish second overall in the team standings but a 26th finish from its No. 5 runner had Lamar settle for third place behind champion Jackson Prep and runner-up Jackson Academy.
Dave Hicks had an outstanding day finishing fourth overall in the boys 5K run. Hicks clocked a time of 19:13.4. Ryan Dominick of Jackson Academy won the individual title with a time of 18:35.22. Jordan Miller of Prep was third followed by Phil Walker of Copiah.
John Blubaugh of Lamar was sixth at 19:18.29. Latham Farley was 11th in 20:03.86. Byran Holliday was 20th overall in 20:37.59.
The Lady Raiders actually tied for third place with Pillow Academy but officials decided to let a sixth runner count and that gave Pillow third and Lamar fourth.
Seventh grader Holly Corbitt was the top Lamar runner with a time of 14:39.75. She finished in 12th place. Senior Lisa Swartzfager was 17th in 15:17.71.
Mary Grace Cady was 22nd in 15:37.37. Cady is just a sixth grader. Elaine Clark was 39th in 16:42.68 while Jamie Henderson was 50th in 17.24.59.
Jackson Prep won the girls title with 24 points. The Lady Patriots had all five runners finish in the top seven. Taylor Pearson of Washington School was the individual champion with a time of 12:51.53, a full-minute ahead of Prep's Katie Henley at 14:00.03.
Washington School finished second with 44 points and Pillow was third at 100 while Lamar also had 100 but was given fourth. Starkville placed fifth followed by Jackson Academy, Indianola, Lee and Hillcrest Christian.
Finishing behind the Lamar boys who ended with 65 points was Copiah with 82, Pillow 147, Washington 152, MRA 175 and Starkville 201.