State XC
- Updated: November 8, 2025
(UPDATED) White Plains’ boys take runner up in Class 4A, and Jacksonville’s Mathis leads area runners with third-place finish in 5A.
Editor’s note: Complete results from the state cross country championships can be found on this link.
By East Alabama Sports Today
DANVILLE — White Plains’ boys had the top team finish and Jacksonville’s Rua Mathis the time individual finish among area runners at the AHSAA state cross country meet Saturday.
White Plains’ boys took second place in Class 4A, and Mathis took third individually in the boys’ 5A race.
The state championships played out on Jesse Owens Park.
White Plains’ boys had 90 points, finishing 39 points back of state champion Hamilton. Jaiden Garcia led the Wildcats in eight place (16:47.5), and Sawyer Conn finished 11th (16:54.5).
“The boys ran really well today,” White Plains coach Chase Cotton said. “We needed a good race out of everyone and we got that. Hamilton just ran really well too. They were the team to beat and they showed that today.
“Really proud of our guys for how they fought today.”
Mathis, a junior who also won Calhoun County and sectional titles this season, took third place in 16:00.88. Scottsboro’s Ryder Linville won (16:00.36), and Westminster-Oak Mountain’s Weaver Caldwell took second (16:00.46).
Mathis said his strategy was to stay with Linville, who had the state’s top PR coming into the race. Mathis was in position and kicked with a mile to go.
“I decided to start my kick a little early,” Mathis said. “I knew, if I hadn’t, Ryder is a really good 800 meter, 1,600 meter guy, and his kick is really good, so I decided to beat him to it and go into mine.
“With about 300 meters in the race, I decided to pretty much go into this, ‘I’m either going to win, or he’s going to catch me. Either way, I’m going to give it my all right here.’ It came down to the wire … and I was half a second from getting my first state title.”
Other highlights involving area teams and runners:
ALEXANDRIA: The Valley Cubs’ girls took fifth place in 4A, led by JoJo Watson’s 21st-place finish (21:01.8). Jayden Phelps led the boys in fourth place (16:18.17), and the Valley Cubs finished sixth.
PLEASANT VALLEY:: The boys finished third in 1A-2A, led by Max Jernigan in 19th (18:17.88) and Corey Griffith in 20th (18:23.85).
GLENCOE: Dakota Ensminger took 10th in 3A (17:32.59).
JACKSONVILLE: Calhoun County and sectional champion Rachel Sloughfy (20:20.66) finished 13th in 5A.
OXFORD: The boys took fourth in 6A, led by Hunter Hartwell in 16th (16:20.1) and Case Payne in 19th (16:34.0).
PIEDMONT: Mattie Todd came home with a top-10 finish, finishing 10th (21:04.19).
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