Cross-country: Cuthbertson boys, North Lincoln girls win NCHSAA titles Saturday

Cuthbertson’s boys ran to their first cross-country state championship Saturday, while North Lincoln’s girls continued their domination by winning their fifth title in a row.

They were among the winners at the second day of the N.C. High School Athletic Association cross-country state championships at the Ivy Redmon Complex in Kernersville, near Winston-Salem

Cuthbertson’s girls have been a state force for years, with the Cavaliers winning cross-country state titles five times since 2018. The boys, however, had never reached the top — until Saturday.

Joshua Palmer (ninth place) and Alfred Willie (11th) led the Cavaliers’ effort.

North Lincoln, meanwhile, has won the girls’ state cross-country title on an annual basis since 2021. All of their championships came in the old 3A classification, before the NCHSAA expanded to eight classes this year.

The Knights dominated the race, with their finishers taking first, second, third, sixth and seventh places. Their team score of 19 points was far ahead of runner-up North Henderson’s 96.

Charlotte-area girls’ cross-country teams won NCHSAA state championships Friday.

Christ the King won the NCHSAA 2A state championship with 84 points to finish ahead of area rival Community School of Davidson (116).

Pine Lake Prep won the 3A girls’ title with 70 points, edging Union Academy (72 points) and N.C. School of Science & Math/Morganton (73).

Saturday race results

-- 8A boys: Hoggard’s Riley Kiziah edged Panther Creek’s Evan Rounds by three seconds to earn the 8A boys’ individual title in a time of 15:39.70. Hoggard teammates Aedon Schroeder and Gabriel Archibald were right behind in fourth and fifth, respectively, but Broughton of Raleigh’s pack was too strong. The Capitals placed five runners in the top 14, all finishing in 16:04 or better, to claim the boys’ team title with 49 points. Hoggard was second with 69 points. Panther Creek, Apex Friendship and Green Hope rounded out the top five. Tap here for full results.

-- 8A girls: Madeline Dorsch of Pinecrest dominated the field Saturday. He time of 17:09.28 was more than a minute faster than second place as she earned the 8A girls’ individual title. Elizabeth Weltz of South Mecklenburg placed third in 18:12.75. Green Level of Cary placed five runners among the top 30 to earn the team title with 69 points. Myers Park (92) was second. Hoggard, Broughton and Apex Friendship rounded out the top five. Tap here for full results.

-- 7A boys: Topsail junior Grayson Dill led the field, with a time of 15:32.15. The top local finisher was Marvin Ridge’s Michael Rivlin, who was eight seconds off the pace. Rivlin had won the 7A West Regional meet last week. Cuthbertson had 86 points, barely ahead of Cardinal Gibbons (88) and Marvin Ridge (91). Weddington was eighth. Tap here for full results

-- 7A girls: Cardinal Gibbons (52 points) outran Marvin Ridge (76) and third-place Cuthbertson (116). Cardinal Gibbons sophomore Kaitlyn Estep was the individual winner, in 17:16.20. Top local finisher was runner-up Emma Balaban, a Weddington sophomore, who was 10.5 seconds behind. Cuthbertson’s Colby McCollum, Weddington’s Ava Lanzy and Lake Norman’s Kasey Dingman ran 3-4-5. Tap here for full results.

-- 6A boys: A.C. Reynolds’ fifth runner bested Mount Tabor’s fifth finisher by eight scoring places Satrurday, providing the winning margin in the 6A boys’ race. Gus Simmons was A.C. Reynolds’ top finisher in fourth place. Ethan Rich of Western Harnett won individual honors Saturday in a time of 15:46.34. Tap here for full results.

-- 6A girls: Cali Townsend led Watauga with a fourth-place finish and Lainey Johnston’s 25th-place finish was strong enough to displace the East Chapel Hill pack to lift the Pioneers to the 6A girls’ team title. East Chapel Hill placed four of its top five runners in the top 20, but none in the top nine, in a second-place effort. Georgy Helmers of E.E. Smith led all finishers with a time of 17:21.40. Tap here for full results.

-- 5A boys: Oak Grove (60 points) won the team title, with Orange (98) second. North Lincoln was fourth. North Buncombe’s Michael Ferguson (15:18.31) was individual champion. Parkwood’s Bryce Cooke ran eighth and was the top area finisher. Tap here for full results.

-- 5A girls: North Lincoln ran away with the title, led by individual champion Olivia Ferraro (18:24.75), a senior. Teammate Bella Jaworsky, a freshman, was second, with another North Lincoln runner, junior Elan Eurey, third. Tap here for full results.

Friday race results

— 4A boys: Brevard’s Keaton Campbell won the title (16:00.09). West Iredell’s Bryant Moore was second (16:13.04). Brevard won the team title. Tap here for full results

— 4A girls: First Flight’s Kayla Folkes won the 4A girls’ title (18:33.63). Lake Norman Charter’s Mary Caroline Williams (19:21.40) finished third. Carrboro (83) edged Lake Norman Charter (85) for the team title. Tap here for full results.

— 3A boys: Craig Webb of Swannanoa’s Charles Owen High won the 3A boys’ title (16:20.72). Union Academy’s Yariel Rodriguez (16:55.91) was third and Pine Lake Prep’s Asher Legrand (16:59.03) finished fourth. N.C. School of Science & Math in Durham won the team title. Pine Lake Prep and Union Academy finished in the top 10. Tap here for full results.

— 3A girls: Elisabeth Swady of Morganton’s Patton High won the 3A girls’ title (19:04.92). Union Academy’s Ana Leon (19:24.00) and Abby Isacs (19:42.00) finished in the top five. Tap here for full results.

—2A boys: Bishop McGuinness’ Drew Pacholke won the 2A boys’ title (16:09.73). Community School of Davidson’s Bryson Calkins was seventh (16:46.81). Bishop McGuinness won the team title, ahead of Charlotte’s Corvian Community. Tap here for full results.

— 2A girls: South Stanly’s Kenadie Baker won the 2A girls’ title (18:17.44). Christ The King’s Shea Roche (19:12.72) was third and teammates Anasofia Morell (20.12.08) and Samantha McMullin (20:20.15) were in the top 10. Tap here for full results.

— 1A boys: Pinetown Northside’s Avery Roberson won the 1A boys’ title (16:26.72). No Observer-area runner finished in the top 10. N.C. Leadership Academy won the team title. Tap here for full results.

— 1A girls: Tri-County Early College’s Fern Clayton won 1A girls (20:04.55). No area players were in the top 10. Morganton’s NC Science and Math won the team title. Tap here for full results.

This story was originally published October 31, 2025 at 8:14 PM.