Tupelo back as top team in 7A cross country

Tupelo reclaimed its title as the top team in 7A cross country after a year-long hiatus. On Saturday, the Golden Wave girls secured first place at the MHSAA Class 7A Cross Country state championship, with a team score of 77. They beat Clinton, who scored 93.

Coach Briana George expressed confidence in her team, stating that they had the potential to win and the manpower to do so. "It was just getting there and being able to prove it to everyone else," she said.

This is Tupelo's third win in the last four championship races, and their 18th overall. Last season, they finished third after back-to-back titles. In the race held in Choctaw Trails, Kailey Scaggs secured the second place overall with a time of 19:08.9. Carrie Ann Brown came in 12th, and Ashton Roper finished 20th.

Coach George anticipated that if Scaggs managed to finish in the top two, the team championship would be within reach. Roper, who missed most of the season due to soccer commitments, played a crucial role in Tupelo's success. George explained that Roper is a natural athlete and often misses practice to play soccer, but she is welcome to join the team when she can.

George mentioned that her Tupelo team was considered underdogs throughout the season, but she knew they were capable of more than they were given credit for. According to Mississippi MileSplit, Tupelo was predicted to likely finish third.

Ella Beard and Ava George followed closely behind, finishing 21st and 22nd respectively. The coach, who is known for her numerical approach, admitted that they were up against a tough challenge in the form of Hernando. However, the gap between the first place team and the sixth-place team was only 36 points. Tupelo lost three seniors, including Scaggs, George's daughter, as well as Alayah Meadows.

Despite the loss of key players, George expressed satisfaction with her team's performance, saying, "I knew the work they've put in firsthand, because I live with it. I was really tickled that they got it."