SWANNANOA - Asheville Christian Academy enlisted a staff member to drive around a cart Wednesday afternoon, leading the race through its grass and wooded cross country course.
A motorized vehicle was the only thing outrunning Christ School at the Carolinas Athletic Association meet.
The Greenies repeated as conference champions and did so with a perfect score (15 points), also mirroring the results from 2021.
Individual winner Rocky Hansen ’23 (15:06.30) broke his own course record by 25 seconds after assuming the lead in the race's first 100 yards. Rocky's finish heralded the arrival of six more Greenies in successive order – Dawson Reeves '24 (second place, 15:34.90), Kahzi Sealey ’23 (third, 16:26.90), Eyob Gill ’24 (fourth, 16:30.80), Dallas Reeves ‘27 (fifth, 17:00.20), Luke Parrish ’24 (sixth, 17:10.40), and Will Peeler '23 (seventh, 17:25.70).
Each of those Christ School runners made the All-CAA team and Patrick Wang ’24 (ninth, 18:03.70) gave the Greenies an eighth runner in the top-10.
Wednesday was the final race for Christ School before another repeat bid at next Friday's NCISAA 4-A state meet in Greensboro.
“Everybody is coming around at the right time. Training has been going very well,” Coach Randy Ashley said.
“It was really nice to see our 3-7 runners come through the 1-mile mark together today. That bodes well. We’re looking forward to next Friday. I don’t think there’s any doubt in our guys’ minds to how we can run as a squad.”
Carolinas Athletic Association Meet
Wednesday at Asheville Christian Academy
Team scores
1. Christ School 15; 2. Asheville School 77; 3. Asheville Christian Academy 82; 4. Carolina Day 82; 5. Rabun Gap 127.
Individual results (Christ School runners)
1. Rocky Hansen 15:06.30; 2. Dawson Reeves 15:34.90; 3. Kahzi Sealey 16:26.90; 4. Eyob Gill 16:30.80; 5. Dallas Reeves 17:00.20; 6. Luke Parrish 17:10.40; 7. Will Peeler 17:25.70; 9. Patrick Wang 18:03.70; 16. Nate Wilberding 18:58.90; 18. John Barton 19:04.00; 23. Mark Yee 19:46.30; 24. Sebastian Knight 20:04.30; 35. Jack Higgins 21:39.30; 38. Wiley Kessler 21:52.10; 39. Noah Hunt 22:05.50; 41. Noah Graham 22:17.00; 52. Vovi Lagutin 24:45.40; 54. Lansing Lewis 26:50.40; 55. Bill Zhou 30:25.80.