Area runners shine in TAPPS State Meet

Parker County was well represented at the recent Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools State Track Meet in Waco on Oct. 30 at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course.

Gracee Whiteaker of Willow Park Trinity Christian brought home a bronze medal with a third-place finish at the Class 4A Meet, an improvement over her fourth-place finish from last season. She clocked a time of 13 minutes, 0.72 seconds over the 2-mile course.

Meanwhile, in the Class 3A girls division, Landry Perkin of Weatherford Christian won a state championship with a time of 12:31.64 over 2 miles.

All of the girls ran 2 miles and the boys ran 5K.

Nate Cupp of Weatherford Christian also captured a bronze medal, posting a time of 17:43.22.

Victory Baptist had five top-10 finishers among the boys and girls, while the boys captured the team title in Class 1A. The girls were second as a team.

Among the boys, Noah Burns was fifth with an 18:31.56 timing, while Bailey Hughes (18:33.05) and Brock Hestand (18:50.79) was 10th. For the girls, Sophie Cantu (15;16.34) placed ninth and Emily Haynes (15:22.13) was 10th.

Also in the top 20 for the Patriots were Matthew Haynes, 11th, 18:56.12; Kyle Collinsworth, 17th, 19:42.34; and Hudson Bushman, 19th, 19:47.41.

Nevaeh Tidwell  was 17th for the Lady Patriots with a time of 16:22.87.

Wilson Winchester led the Trinity boys, finishing 11th, an improvement over his 26th-place finish a year ago. He clocked an 18:07.55. While he was the lone Eagle to crack the top 50, the Lady Eagles, who finished fourth as a team, had five top-50 finishers.

Along with Whiteaker were Emma Saadeh, 13th, 13:33.57; Madison Clark, 32nd, 14:43.22; Brooklyn Mathieson, 43rd, 14:56.78; and Meagan King, 47th, 15:06.26.