Clinton High School Cross Country Team Finishes 6th at State Championship

The SCHSL AAA State Cross Country Meet was held on Friday, November 10th. The sixteen best AAA teams in the State ran to decide the state Championship. The Red Devils finished sixth, giving them the highest finish at the state championship in the team’s history.

The team was led by junior William Reid whose 16:50 put him in 12th place and earned him a spot on the All-State Team. Senior Charlie Cody finished 27th overall with a time of 17:50. Junior Sam Gearheart finished 31st overall with a time of 18:00 and senior Hayden Stinson finished 35th with a time of 18:06. Senior Gage Dominick was 59th with a time of 18:52. Senior Juan Vera finished 70th with a time of 19:09 and freshman Henry Cody was 74th with a time of 19:17. 

“Our kids have put in many hours and many miles since last May. This sport demands a lot of its athletes. It all culminates in the state championship. Our 6th place finish is a milestone for us,” said Coach Lee Atkinson. “We have had good teams in the past, but for whatever reason, we finished 9th three different times. This year we finally broke that streak with a 6th place finish, 3 points behind 5th and 28 out of 4th. We can now set our sights on the top 5 for next year, and maybe with a little luck, along with hard work and preparation, a state title.”

Coach Atkinson acknowledged the tremendous dedication and leadership of the seniors on the team this year – Juan Vera, Gage Dominick, Hayden Stinson and Charlie Cody.

A successful season like this is made possible by a strong and committed team and dedicated coaches and staff , and of course the parents.

“We had a very successful season. I’d like to thank our coaching staff, Mary Mason Gibbs and Austin Nobles for all that they have done,” said Atkinson. ” I’d also like to thank the parents for trusting us with their children, their help anytime we called on them, and their unwavering support. And much thanks to Peggy Trent who helped organize snacks and drinks, kept the trail race-ready, and always gave us an extra pair of eyes on practice days.”