BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Trinity Christian School’s girls varsity cross country team capped an undefeated season with a state championship at the Alabama Independent School Association state meet held at Kiesel Park on Oct. 7
Trinity’s boys varsity team finished second, and The Oaks School’s junior varsity boys also placed second in their division.
The meet drew nearly 350 runners, more than double the roughly 150 who competed in 2019 when the AISA began expanding its cross country offerings.
It was the last cross country event to be hosted by AISA, since the organization will disband following the 2026-27 school year.
Mary Ellen Watts led the Trinity girls, placing second in the 5,000-meter varsity race in 22:42.6. Wiregrass Kings junior Elliette Jones won in 22:03.0.
Watts said the slight heat and other conditions made the race difficult at times, but she enjoyed the experience anyways.
“It felt amazing. It was so rewarding, and I just had so much fun,” Watts said. “The heat really made it difficult, but I think just pushing myself, and everyone else pushes me all the time.”
Molly Peatman added a seventh-place finish for Trinity in 23:20.6.
Watts said the team’s finish was a fitting end to a season in which it didn’t lose a meet.
“It’s crazy. We were undefeated this year, and I feel like we just really pushed ourselves hard towards the end and finished really well,” she said. “I’m really proud of us.”
On the boys side, John Stuart Nicholson placed second in 17:37.8, finishing behind Guardian Christian’s Chapman Bowers, who won in 17:26.2. Nicholson had won the individual title in each of the past two years and said the bigger field brought tougher competition this time, which he welcomed.
“I’ve been training over the past six years, and I won the past two years. But I had more competition this year, so that’s a good thing,” Nicholson said. “I’m happy with how I finished and the place I got.”
Daniel Pittman was Trinity’s next finisher, placing eighth in 18:21.8.
Nicholson said Trinity went into the meet hoping to win the team title.
“We were aiming for first. We knew it was going to be hard,” Nicholson said. “We’ve been pushing all the guys and telling them they need to go faster and push their hardest for this, and we’re happy with getting a trophy.”
The Oaks’ Connor Nissen placed 13th in the boys varsity race in 18:43.5.
In the junior varsity boys 2-mile race, The Oaks’ Brady Rhyne finished fourth in 11:16.8. Trinity’s Joseph Mayes and Eli Reichel placed third in 11:12.2 and fifth in 11:18.5.
Molly Beth Holt placed fourth in the junior varsity girls 2-mile race in 13:55.9 for Trinity.
