HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Wallace State’s men’s and women’s cross country teams turned in strong performances at the ON Twilight meet Friday night at John Hunt Park, each finishing second overall behind NCAA Division I foe West Georgia.
Men’s Team Performance
The Lions placed four runners inside the top 20 and seven in the top 26 to secure their runner-up finish. Tyler Anthony led the charge with a fourth-place finish, clocking 26:10.71 over the 8k course. Close behind was Daniel Leija in sixth place with a time of 26:19.24.
Carson Masterson added an 11th-place finish in 26:40.03, while Harper Branscombe placed 19th (27:00.59). Elliot Denard, Jack Wiggins, and Connor McCrary rounded out the Lions’ scoring, each placing inside the top 26 to secure valuable points.
Women’s Team Performance
Freshman standout Brookelyn Morgan continued her impressive season, finishing second overall with a time of 19:05.67 in the women’s 5k.
Teammates Grace Gosline (10th, 20:13.68) and Cadence Rivera (11th, 20:17.72) provided key support with back-to-back finishes in the top 15. Payton Ridley also delivered a strong performance, finishing 16th in 20:36.34 to help solidify the Lions’ second-place team finish.
Coach’s Comments
Head coach Tony Crider praised both squads for their effort:
“I’m very proud of both team’s performance tonight. We are going to take some time to get well before we head to Charlotte in two weeks,” Crider said.
What’s Next
Wallace State will return to action at the Royals Cross Country Challenge, hosted by Queens College in Charlotte, N.C., on October 10th.
