CENTERBURG — The future is bright for Centerburg’s Payton Tucker.
A sophomore, Tucker was selected the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference girls cross country Runner of the Year after winning the KMAC meet last month.
Tucker used the victory as a springboard to the postseason and capped the year with a 78th-place showing in the Division III race at the state meet early this month at Fortress Obetz.
Danville’s Morgan Blum was selected the KMAC Coach of the Year.
Fredericktown won the KMAC team title and three Freddies, Ellie Kershner, Angelina Overholt and Peyton Blakesley, earned spots on the first team. They were joined by East Knox’s Taylor Severt and Adrian Clutter, Northmor’s Kate Lehman, Natalie Hunter and Ryann Brinkman, Mount Gilead’s Kimberly Staley and Cardington’s Magi Hallabrin.
Fredericktown’s Caroline Gladman, Micah Phillips, Kacie Rook, Taylor Brown and Caitlin Roddy were second-team picks. East Knox’s Cloe Tucker, Mount Gilead’s Ava Baker and Danielle Pohlkotte and Northmor’s Haylee Walker rounded out the second team.
All-academic picks included Cardington’s Gracie Meade, East Knox’s Taylor Severt, Fredericktown’s Kacie Rook and Northmor’s Hannah Kanagy.
Boys Cross Country
Mount Gilead swept the individual honors s Will Baker was selected the KMAC boys Runner of the Year and Jake Hayes was the Coach of the Year.
Mount Gilead’s Parker Bartlett, Owen Hershner and Tommy Emberg were first-team picks. Other first-teamers were Northmor’s Ryan Lehman and David Blunk, Fredericktown’s Josh Alexander, Brandon Hogg and Kaleb Randall, Cardington’s Aidan Reitmire and Centerburg’s Nathan Dickhof.
Second-team selections included Fredericktown’s Aiden McManis, Centerburg’s Ethan Jackson, Mount G9lead’s Nolan Hershner, East Knox’s Logan Whitney, Fredericktown’s Noah Smith, Centerburg’s Alex Riegel, Centerburg’s Andrew Dickhof, Mount Gilead’s Nathan Smith, East Knox’sDakota Ensminger and Centerburg’s Chase Netting.
All-academic picks were Centerburg’s Nathan Dickhof, East Knox’s Jordan Hull, Fredericktown’s Kaleb Randall, Mount Gilead’s Parker Bartlett and Northmor’s Ryan Lehman.