Wright, Fariss repeat as individual state champions

SAYLOR TOWNSHIP ? If the Junior High Cross Country Championships were any indication Saturday, the Pekin cross country teams are going to continue hoisting state titles at the high school level for a very long time.

The Pekin cross country teams had three individual winners in four races and won team titles in the seventh- and eighth-grade girls? events. The team victories cap a year in which both teams went undefeated in meets.

Defending state champion Gwynne Wright became a two-time state champion with a win in the eighth-grade girls? event, while Austin Fariss also became a two-time state champion in the eighth-grade boys? race.

For the Pekin eighth-grade girls? team, Wright finished the 1.5-mile course in 12:55, and the Panthers had three additional runners in the top 10 to score just 23 points. Central came in second with 27 points.

Sloan Reighard was second for the Panthers (fifth, 15:15), Taylor Lock was seventh overall (14:46), and Payton Lock was 10th overall (15:05). Nikole Arendt was 14th in 15:29.

The seventh-grade girls were led by Shea Dahlstrom, who became the individual champion in 14:10, and the Panthers? seventh-grade team won with 18 points to beat second-place St. Albert by 20.

Taylor Reynolds came in third (15:05), Chelsea Lamphier was fifth (15:31), Kaylee Linder finished ninth (15:58) and Bonnke Becker was 10th (16:21). Madison Fears was 13th in 16:26.

In the seventh-grade boys? race, Pekin finished third with 83 points, while Earlham won the event with 17 points. Pekin?s Trevor Northup came in 13th (14:44) and Ryan Mollikin was 15th (14:51).

Fariss won the boys' eighth-grade event with a time of 12:10. The boys' eighth-grade team did not have a full team.