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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

OAKVILLE – The best runners from Shelby County got their chance to shine on the biggest stage at the 2023 AHSAA Class 7A Cross-Country State Championship, and many turned in their best times of the season on a fast course at Oakville Indian Mounds Park on Saturday, Nov. 11.

Oak Mountain’s John Shoemaker came within a second of claiming the Class 7A state championship with a second-place time of 15:11.20.

Whitt Kilgore came in 33rd place with a time of 16:39.60, Cooper Jeffcoat finished in 49th place with a time of 16:52.04, Luke Marvin came in 50th place with a time of 16:52.05 and Zachary Joyce finished in 65th place with 17:10.44.

Parker Campbell also finished in the top five, coming in fifth with a time of 15:31.81 for Chelsea. Hudson Williams finished in 15th place with a time of 16:07.20, Conner Campbell came in 20th place with a time of 16:20.23 and Wilbur Valencia Nava finished 60th with a time of 17:06.51.

Thompson’s Doster Robinson came in 28th with a time of 16:34.63 and Spain Park’s Eian Phillips finished 44th with a time of 16:44.83 to round out the county runners in the meet.

In the girls 7A race, Chelsea’s Ty Cason came in fifth place with a time of 18:32.38, and she was joined on the All-State team by Spain Park’s Delaney Vickers, who finished 11th with a time of 18:56.93, and Oak Mountain’s Lauren Cole, who had a personal-best time of 18:57.96 in 13th place.

Chelsea’s Mia Dunavant finished in 22nd place with a time of 19:22.84, and she was joined by Brylee Bryant, who came in 40th place with a time of 20:03.79, Adeline Keith, who finished in 47th place with a time of 20:10.77, and Juliette Edwards, who came in 56th with a time of 20:23.38.

In addition for Oak Mountain, Catarina Williams came in 34th place with a time of 19:48.61, Ava Fields finished in 39th place with a time of 20:03.65 and Brighton Bell came in 59th place with a time of 20:27.01.

Spain Park’s Remy Richards also had a personal record time for the Jags, coming in 23rd place with a time of 19:23.91.