Emma Bennett won the 6A State Championship race with a time of 18:00.2 to help propel the Jesuit Women’s Cross Country team to their second consecutive state championship at Lane Community College on Saturday.
In cross country, team scoring is based on the five fastest runners to cross the finish line and that runner receives a point for what place they get. For example, first place receives one point, second place gets two, and the team with the lowest total score wins the competition.
In a close battle against their rival Lincoln who beat them at the Nike Hole in the Wall early this year, Jesuit outran Lincoln with the score of 32-46 making them the 2023 OSAA Women’s 6A Cross Country State Champions.
Emma Bennett led the charge taking home first place for the Crusaders, senior Liliana Hudnut placed fifth with a time of 18:29.5, freshman Maeve O’Scannlain placed 6th with a time of 18:29.5, senior Amalie Beil placed ninth with a time of 18:38.1, and junior Maura O’Scannlain placed 15th with a time of 19:08.3, rounding out the top five for the crusaders.
Jesuit’s Men’s Cross Country team took home second place on Saturday, after falling behind Franklin 43-85.
Senior Caden Swanson led the squad with a fourth-place finish and a time of 15:43.5, sophomore Brayden Fletcher placed 11th with a time of 16.16.7, junior Coen Strub placed 27th with a time of 16:32.5, sophomore Kellen Williams placed 31st with a time of 16:35.8, and Loland Fleming placed 35th with a time of 16:44.4.
An amazing season for these teams but it doesn’t end there, as both the Men’s and Women’s team qualified for the Northwest Regional Championship this Saturday at Eagle Island State Park in Idaho with two spots to the Nike Cross Nationals on the line.
