Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – In an event featuring the best runners from the county, Cady McPhail picked up her first win of the 2020 cross country season when she claimed the top spot at the Shelby County Cross Country Championship at Alabaster’s Veterans Park on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

McPhail was a highlight for Chelsea thanks to her time of 19:57.51, which was the only time less than 20 minutes, as she won by close to one minute.

In addition to her success, the Oak Mountain Eagles also had a strong showing at the event as well and finished first in the event as a team thanks in large part to Lauren Cole finishing second in the individual standings with a time of 20:42.

The Eagles also had two more runners finish inside the top 10 with Emma Grace Phillips and Avery Welch. Phillips finished in fourth thanks to a time of 21:16.40, while Welch finished seventh thanks to a time of 21:55.86.

Chelsea also fared well with another top-10 finisher thanks to Avery Thompson finishing fifth with a time of 21:52.40. That was big in helping the Hornets finish second in the overall team standings behind Oak Mountain.

Thompson’s Emily Allen claimed third in the race behind a time of 21:07.04, while teammate Lauren Moon added a finish of ninth for another top-10 finisher thanks to her time of 22:03.03.

Helena, Briarwood and Pelham each had a top-10 finisher as well to close out the top 10. Mallory Barton finished sixth for the Huskies with a time of 21:54.99, Adrienne Goolsby finished eighth for the Lions with a time of 21:58.99 ad Brooke Monti finished 10th for the Panthers with a time of 22:11.83.

Helena was able to finish third in the team standings thanks to four more finishers in the top 30. Olivia Timmons finished inside the top 20 by claiming 18th with a time of 24:03.37, while Lindsey May (22nd), Madison Tsimpides (24th) and Mallory Hamilton (30th) finished inside the top 30.

Chelsea’s other top finishers included top 20 finishes from Clair Neuberger and Jos O’Kelley. Neuberger took home a finish of 16th behind a time of 23:23.96, while O’Kelley finished 19th thanks to a time of 24:10.22.

Isabelle Seymore and Caroline Moore finished 25th and 26th, respectively, thanks to times of 25:00.31 and 25:01.94.

Thompson’s other top 30 finishers included Whitney Clark and Emily Standifer. Clark finished with a time of 25:02.29 to claim 27th, while Standifer finished with a time of 25:14.59 to finish 28th.

Briarwood’s only other top-30 finisher came from Bela Doss in 13th thanks to her time of 22:53.43.

Indian Springs also had an impressive showing from Elise Picard, who claimed 11th in the individual standings thanks to her time of 22:25.58.

In addition to that, the Shelby County Wildcats saw one runner finish in the top 30 with Mary Moore finishing the race with a time of 25:17.33 to take home a finish of 29th.