Monday was a final tune-up that could not have gone much better for Christ School cross country.
Greenie runners took the top-eight positions in the on-campus 2-mile Madness meet, led by individual winner Rocky Hansen ’23 (9 minutes, 44.99 seconds).
The standard distance for high school cross country races is 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) and Monday’s time trial was one of only two times the defending NCISAA 4-A state champions will race their home course this season.
The course was a double-loop that began and ended on Darsie Track. Runners essentially ran around Christ School’s baseball field, football field, and tennis courts twice in sunny, but pleasant conditions.
Rocky broke away in the race’s first 100 meters to create all the separation that he needed. The senior from Hendersonville, N.C., verbally committed to Wake Forest University on July 1. Among his many accolades from last year was the 2021 NCISAA 4-A state individual championship.
Team-wise, the Greenies look well-prepared for a possible state-championship repeat two months from now.
The rest of the top-eight from Monday’s race were Dawson Reeves ’24 (second place, 10:14.54), Kahzi Sealey ’23 (third place, 10:22.24), Luke Parrish ’24 (fourth place, 10:55.30), Patrick Wang ’24 (fifth place, 11:14.22), Eyob Gill ’24 (sixth place, 11:16.97), Dallas Reeves ’27 (seventh place, 11:19.4), and Will Peeler ’23 (eighth place, 11:25.19).
No team scores were kept Monday. The first regular-season race for the Greenies is the Sept. 3 Eye-Opener Meet in Spartanburg, S.C.
Christ School 2-Mile Madness
Individual results (Christ School runners)
1. Rocky Hansen 9:44.99; 2. Dawson Reeves 10:14.54; 3. Kahzi Sealey 10:22.24; 4. Luke Parrish 10:55.30; 5. Patrick Wang 11:14.22; 6. Eyob Gill 11:16.97; 7. Dallas Reeves 11:19.84; 8. Will Peeler 11:25.19; 15. John Barton 12:10.19; 18. Nate Wilberding 12:33.53; 21. Mark Yee 13:26.82; 23. Sebastian Knight 13:47.48; 24. Cole Lewis 14:06.09; 25. Noah Graham 14:08.92; 26. Wiley Kessler 14:28.10; 27. Jack Higgins 14:28.91; 28. Noah Hunt 14:31.03; 30. Jacob Beatty 14:54.02; 31. Yovi Lagutin 15:29.45; 32. Gavin Denton 16:49.36; 34. Bill Zhou 18:56.48.