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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

ANNISTON – While they only had one top-10 finisher, the Calera Eagles had a consistent effort the rest of the way with a total of five top 25 finishers and six inside the top 50 to claim the top spot in the team standings at the Wildcat Classic on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Anniston’s Wildcat Trail.

In addition to boys having another strong performance this year, the girls also competed at the event finishing sixth in their race.

The highest finisher of the day, however, went to Riley Gay in the boys race. The senior ran the 5,000-meter race in 18:24.42, which was good enough for 10th on the number.

Gay has now finished 15th or higher in every event this season and has run every event in less than 20 minutes, while this race marked the second time in five races this season that he had run a sub-19 race.

Just a few spots lower in 13th and 14th were junior teammates Cade Galloway and Michael Jones, respectively. Galloway finished the event with a time of 18:55.14, while Jones was just a hair behind after finishing with a time of 19:02.90.

Landon Earl also added a top-20 finish for the Eagles. The sophomore claimed 17th in the event thanks to his time of 19:04.89. Just outside of the top 20 but inside the top 25 was junior Lane Busby, who finished 22nd in the race thanks to a time of 19:14.74.

Those runners helped Calera total 71 points, which was 11 points clear of Lincoln in second place and 12 points clear of White Plains in third place.

The girls were highlighted by Laryssa Molina-Becerra, who finished 20th behind a time of 24:28.60. The only other runner to finish inside the top 50 was Isabella Jones. She finished 40th with a time of 26:47.69.

Behind that, Keely Rollf, Lamiyah Campbell, Constance Lee and Alyssa Gallahan finished between 60th and 68th. Rollf was the highest finisher at 60th with a time of 29:09.96, while Campbell and Lee finished 62nd and 63rd, respectively with times of 20:16.96 and 29:29.72.

Gallahan finished a few spots lower in 68th with a time of 30:06.15.