NASHVILLE — Before their meet Saturday at Percy Warner Park, the Baylor cross country teams developed a slogan: “Back in Black.”

The slogan came from the black T-shirts that were to be given to the team champions of the A.F. Bridges Invitational, which both teams ended up winning Saturday.

The Baylor girls won the 5-kilometer event with a final score of 45 points, outdistancing Brentwood Academy by 16. The Baylor boys, No. 9 in the Southeast Regional Rankings, took five of the top 19 slots and won by 22 points over Montgomery Bell Academy.

Bill Matthews took the individual boys’ title with a time of 15 minutes, 32.44 seconds, which set a course record. The previous record was 15:41.87, set by Knoxville West’s Matt Sonnefeldt last week in the Tennessee Classic.

“I’m excited about how we ran,” Baylor coach Van Townsend said. “Our goal was to stay on the map and keep making ground. We’re not pushing him hard now, but he ran a smart race and was all alone out in front. Our guys ran patiently; they let MBA run ahead. They were a little threat and a local team, but we let them run ahead.”

Baylor’s fifth man, Taylor Dix, was the key, running 19th with a time of 17:29.49.

“As I’ve tried to express, our fifth man is the key. We’re only as good as he is,” Townsend said. “He ran very unselfish and was right behind MBA’s pack, finishing right behind them which was what we needed to do.”

Brandon Lord (third, 16:34.95) and Skyler Townsend (fifth, 16:40.37) gave the Red Raiders three top-five finishes. Mike Meadows was ninth with a time of 16:48.47.

The Lady Red Raiders were led by Carter Harrison, who took fourth by running a time of 20:03.42, slightly ahead of teammate Mary Stagmaier, who was fifth at 20:09.41.

Hannah Jumper was eighth (20:31.93), while Virginia Kelly finished in 10th place (20:41.87).

“We may move up a little bit in the rankings. Most of our guys ran personal records on a course that was much slower than the Greenway course,” Townsend said. “I’m pleased about our times and really psyched about the girls. This was the first time we have won a big invitational meet together. It was a good statement with the boys and girls winning.”

Pitcock wins Vol meet

Bradley Central’s Jacquelin Pitcock was victorious in Saturday’s Volunteer Invitational in Knoxville, beating Farragut’s Alex Newby by nearly 23 seconds with a time of 19:36.29.

Bradley teammate Becky Chillinsky was 26th overall at 21:45.38 as the Bearettes took seventh with 180 points.

Brookwood High School from Alabama took the team title with six top-15 finishes and 42 points, and Brookwood’s boys had four top-five finishes and scored 31 points with an average time of 16:55.

Jake Curtis of Bradley was the top area boys’ finisher, 55th in 18:33.78. Maryville’s Clint McKelvey won in 16:21.27.

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