Gamecocks signee Emma Ashley, SV’s Hitchcock win at SC cross country championships
Emma Ashley and Brendan Hitchcock took home first-place finishes Thursday morning at the South Carolina High School League Cross Country championships at The Farm in Newberry.
Ashley, a 2025 University of South Carolina signee and senior at Westwood, won the Class 5A Division II girls championship while Hitchcock, from Spring Valley, won the Class 5A Division I boys championship.
Ashley is the first Westwood runner to win a cross country state championship. The senior won her qualifying race last week at Fort Jackson. The Westwood runner finished with a time of 18:46, 17 seconds, ahead of Lucy Beckham’s Julia Goldman.
Chapin’s Bella Bonavilla was 9th, Georgia Babcock was 11th and Hardin Edwards was 12th. The Eagles finished second as a team, behind first-place Fort Mill.
Hitchcock finished with a time of 15:55, 12 seconds better than River Bluff’s Daniel Campbell. He is the first Spring Valley runner to win an individual championship since Reid Wilson in 2004.
Eight Midlands boys runners were all-state in 5A Division I race. Joining Hitchcock and Campbell were Lexington’s Jesse Oates (sixth), Blythewood’s Jacob Powell (seventh), RB’s Brandon Corley (eighth) and Ridge View’s Macaire N’twa (10th). Dutch Fork’s Evan DeMasi (11th) and Blythewood’s Eureka Washington (12th). The top 15 finishers are awarded all-state honors.
Dorman placed three runners in the top five to win the 5A Division I boys race. Blythewood was second and Lexington was third.
In the 5A Division I girls race, James Island’s Avery Belk (18:31) won by two seconds over Clover’s Ella Nighbor. Blythewood’s Anna Kelly (18:44) was third and Mallorie Hogue (18:57) fourth. Lexington’s Elanorah Patangan was eighth.
Wando won the team title by two points over James Island. Lexington was third.
In the 5A Boys Division II race, Fort Mill won the team championship and Riverside’s Ty Jones was the individual champion. Chapin’s Summit Wood was third and Koa Erickson was fifth and the Eagles were third as a team.
In Class 3A Boys, Southside Christian’s Grayson Gibbons finished first and Greer Middle College won the team championship. In 3A Girls, GMC won the team title and St. Joseph’s Eva Cifuni finished first.
On Friday, Bluffton won the boys and girls Class 4A championships. The Bobcat girls finished with 69 points, 14 more than Bishop England. The boys finished with 100 points, two more than Hilton Head Island.
Wren’s Grant Young wins 4A boys championship. Daniel’s Ashby Williams wins 4A girls championship. AC Flora’s Gracien Williams was 14th to earn all-state honors.
Philip Simmons won the 2A boys and girls team championships. Academic Magnet’s Quinn Swanton won the boys race and Philip Simmons’ Avah Mallek won the girls race. Pelion’s MJ Saul finished third in the girls race.
Complete results can be found at SC MileSplit .
This story was originally published November 21, 2024 at 12:52 PM.
