Polk County put two boys teams on the course and got a strong opening effort from its girls Saturday at the WNC Cross Country Carnival, one of the largest meets of the season.
With schools from North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia competing at Jackson Park in Hendersonville, Polk’s boys placed 13th in the Championship 5K and 21st in the Invitational 5K, while the Wolverine girls finished 15th in their Invitational race.
Liam Jackson led Polk in the Championship race, finishing 41st overall in 17:45.4. The Wolverines totaled 399 points to place 13th among 15 scoring teams.
Liam Finch was Polk’s second finisher in 20:18.6, followed by Grayson Rowe in 21:02.8, Davis Holbert in 21:11.1 and Benji Ballenger in 21:24.8.
Charlotte Latin won the Championship team title with 54 points, ahead of Greer Middle College Charter with 70 and Fort Mill with 71. T.C. Roberson’s Brooks Roslonski won the individual race in 15:52.2.
Freshman Sophia Junge paced Polk’s girls, taking 22nd in the Invitational 5K in 23:16.31. Junge finished nearly two minutes ahead of Polk’s second runner, Khloe Kitchen, who placed 58th in 25:11.39.
Sadie Schweitzer was 76th in 26:15.88, with LilliAnna Rhymer 118th in 29:03.58 and Kendra Kitchen 134th in 32:44.66.
The Wolverines scored 370 points to finish 15th of 20 teams. Gaston Christian won with 99 points, followed by Wade Hampton at 107. Carolina Day’s Corinne Russell captured the individual title in 20:16.76, with Wade Hampton’s Sophie Mason second in 21:39.49.
Polk’s second boys squad competed in the Invitational race, finishing 21st of 22 teams with 539 points. Jack Baughman led that group, placing 84th in 21:22.64. Austin Martin followed in 22:43.28, with Silas Amorelli finishing in 22:51.08 and Caleb Young just behind in 22:51.19.
Logan Baird ran 23:22.33, Jayvin Clark finished in 26:24.79 and Talan Martin completed the course in 29:28.03.
Mauldin won the Invitational team title with 44 points. Pisgah’s Silas Hardin won the race in 16:20.89.
Polk head coach Alan Peoples called the overall performance the program’s best opening 5K effort since the COVID era. He also noted the youth of both teams – Polk has no seniors among its boys and just one on the girls squad – and was pleased that every Wolverine finished Saturday’s race.
Polk will return to Jackson Park for its next meet, with Peoples expecting many of the Wolverines’ conference rivals to be in the field.
