Five high school cross country standouts from the Chattanooga area received recognition from the Tennessee Sports Writers Association when its all-state teams were released Wednesday night.
Four of those were from TSSAA Division II-AA, with the other, Toby Van de Ven of St. Andrew’s-Sewanee, making the DII-A boys’ list.
Similarly, all but one of the area selections were seniors, with Van de Ven and fellow 12th graders Jack Bowen (McCallie), Gilly Shumate (GPS) and Zach Youngblood (Chattanooga Christian School) joined by Addy Cotter, who is an eighth grader at Baylor.
Even before reaching high school, Cotter won five high school meets for the Lady Red Raiders this past fall: the Heritage 5-Star Stride, John Freeman Invitational, McCallie Invitational, Fast Break Challenge and Front Runner Area Championship. Cotter finished two of those 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) races in 18 minutes and 28 seconds, while her 18:39 mark was good for fourth overall at the DII-AA girls’ state meet.
Bowen, a North Carolina signee, finished second at state for the third time in his prep career with the Blue Tornado. His 14:40 finish at the Randolph Invitational is believed to be the fastest 5K time ever for a Chattanooga-area prep cross country runner. He also won the Nike XC Town Twilight in 14:41, and he placed 25th at the Foot Locker National Championship race in San Diego.
Shumate holds the GPS 5K record at 18:15, and she finished fifth at the state meet for a second straight year with an 18:40 mark. She was among the top 12 at the state meet for five straight seasons.
Van de Ven finished fifth in the DII-A boys’ state meet with a time of 16:51 while helping his team place sixth.
Youngblood, a Furman signee, won the Hoya 2 Mile Invitational and was runner-up at the Front Runner while finishing fourth for the Chargers at the DII-AA boys’ state meet in 15:33. He holds the CCS record at 15:20.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.
TSWA ALL-STATE CROSS COUNTRY 2024
Names of Chattanooga-area selections in bold
GIRLS’ TEAMS
Class A/AA
Ava Moody (Anderson County), Brynn Balturshot (Station Camp), Sydney Tackett (Liberty Creek), Arvella Nave (Elizabethton), Abigail Wallace (McKenzie).
Class AAA
Claire Stegall (Nolensville), Lorelai Whitten (Summit), Sienna Anderson (Summit), Laila Hailey (Rockvale), Lauren Banovac (Brentwood).
Division II-A
Abby Faith Cheeseman (Bell Buckle Webb), Gracie Orton (Columbia Academy), Kiera Pinto (Battle Ground Academy), Presley Miller (Columbia Academy), Taleigh Scurlock (Donelson Christian).
Division II-AA
Calysta Garmer (Knoxville Webb), Jazzlyn Garmer (Knoxville Webb), Carolina Areheart (Knoxville Webb), Addy Cotter (Baylor), Gilly Shumate (GPS).
BOYS’ TEAMS
Class A/AA
Jaden Hillis (Liberty Creek), Jack Mantooth (Westview), Trey Bailey (Greeneville), Korben Lewis (Martin Luther King), Zacharias Ostrander (Cumberland County).
Class AAA
Asher Oates (Independence), Callahan Fielder (Brentwood High), Evan Beeler (Farragut), Garrett Hawkins (Hardin Valley), Kehler Vaughn (Brentwood High).
Division II-A
Eli Wharton (Davidson Academy), Isaac Wharton (Davidson Academy), Yianni Sinis (Tipton-Rosemark), Noah Losacker (Lakeway Christian), Toby Van de Ven (St. Andrew’s-Sewanee).
Division II-AA
Keegan Smith (Knoxville Catholic), Jack Bowen (McCallie), Jack Wallace (Montgomery Bell Academy), Zachary Youngblood (Chattanooga Christian), Joe Edwards (Christian Brothers).