The Chester County High School cross country teams wrapped up an impressive season with strong showings at the TSSAA State Championships on Thursday, Nov. 6.
The Lady Eagles placed 18th overall, led by Bella Lamb, Claire Coleman, Jaylyn Yelverton, Ruby Roberts, Alison Boblett and Abigail Hill. The girls battled through adversity after losing their top runner to injury during the season, but still managed to post a solid finish against some of the best programs in the state.
The Eagle boys’ team turned in one of their best performances in school history, finishing ninth overall—the highest-placing team from West Tennessee. Silas McManus led the way with a 25th-place finish out of 193 runners, marking his best career result at state. He was followed closely by Cooper Thompson, Ian Hall, Cooper Sparks, Ryder Barr, Chase Wells, and Preston Sparks, all contributing to the team’s top-ten effort.
Head Coach Trent McManus said he couldn’t be prouder of both teams and the growth they’ve shown throughout the year.
“The girls’ team was hurt by having a bad injury to our number one runner,” McManus said. “Silas McManus placed 25th out of 193 runners, which is his highest finish at state. The team scored the best of any team from West Tennessee. We won the sectional championship. We had a great season, and we are a young team. We start four freshmen and one sophomore. The future is extremely bright.”
The Eagles’ success at the state meet capped off a memorable season that included a sectional championship and several standout performances. With so many young runners returning next year, the future of Chester County cross country looks bright.
