Joseph Ross Winning the MHSAA 3A XC Title
Photo by Harrison Wampler
The 2025 MHSAA State Cross Country Championships kicked off with an exciting first day of competition, featuring the 1A, 2A, and 3A classifications. Athletes from across Mississippi battled through ideal racing conditions at Choctaw Trails, delivering standout performances and breakout moments on one of the biggest stages of the season. Below, we recap each of the championship races, highlighting the winning individuals and teams from Day 1.
MHSAA 1A Girls Recap
In the MHSAA 1A girls championship race, there was one clear standout. Freshman Alexia Fleming of Tupelo Christian Preparatory School came in as the heavy favorite and showed exactly why. She went out strong, held her lead from start to finish, and crossed the line in 19:53. At this same meet last year, she placed fourth overall and ran about two and a half minutes slower. Now, as she closes out her freshman season, Alexia stands as the fastest MHSAA 1A girl in state history, according to MileSplit's all-time database.
Right behind her, teammate Maggie Mask, a seventh grader, finished second in 20:31.
One unique aspect of this race was the youth of the field. Every athlete in the top six was a freshman or younger.
On the team side, Tupelo Christian Prep claimed the title in dominant fashion, totaling 32 points with a team average of 21:50. West Union Attendance Center placed second with 94 points and an average of 24:26.
MHSAA 1A Boys Recap
The MHSAA 1A boys race featured a close matchup between Ace Yates and Cohen Moore from West Union and Nathan Russell from Hickory Flat Attendance Center. Going into the race, Russell's personal best was 17:54, about thirty seconds slower than the top seed. When the gun went off, he stayed right with the West Union pair through the first mile.
After that point, Cohen Moore made the first move, pulling away slightly to create a small gap. Nathan Russell responded with a strong chase, reeling him back in by the halfway point. Instead of easing up, Nathan surged again, this time breaking away for good. By the time they hit the final stretch, he had built a commanding lead and held it through the line.
Russell finished with a time of 17:11, the fastest race of his career and an improvement of more than a minute and a half from last year, when he placed seventh.
Behind him, Cohen Moore finished second in 17:28, and Ace Yates took third in 17:47. Both runners showed huge improvement from 2024, when Cohen finished 26th in 20:30 and Ace placed 10th in 18:58.
For the team title, Hickory Flat Attendance Center edged out West Union Attendance Center in a tight battle. Hickory Flat finished with 41 points and an average of 18:49, while West Union was close behind with 49 points and an average of 18:52.
MHSAA 2A Girls Recap
The 2A classification saw another dominant performance, this time from Ally Murphy, a tenth grader from Myrtle Attendance Center. Murphy broke the 19-minute barrier, winning in 18:59 and finishing more than a minute and a half ahead of the next competitor. This victory marked her fourth straight cross country state title, and according to MileSplit's all-time database, she now holds the title of fastest 2A girl in state history.
In second place, Emily Avent of East Webster High School finished in 20:32, while Halli Clair Helms, an eighth grader from Enterprise High School, took third in 20:54.
On the team side, Enterprise secured a convincing win with 47 points, placing all scoring runners inside the top 15 for a team average of 22:39. Myrtle Attendance Center followed in second with 71 points and a 22:38 average.
MHSAA 2A Boys Recap
The MHSAA 2A boys race was defined by a strong second half. Early on, JJ Hall and Peyton Medlin from Myrtle Attendance Center led the way, with Carson Sellers from Loyd Star right behind. Just a few strides back, Elijah Tucker of New Site High School sat patiently, waiting for his moment.
Around the halfway mark, Tucker made his move, taking the lead and immediately pressing the pace. Only J.J. Hall tried to go with him, but Tucker's surge proved too strong. He held his lead to the finish, crossing the line first in 17:47. It was a huge improvement from last year, when he finished 13th and ran two minutes slower.
Meanwhile, James McConnell, a tenth grader from Walnut Attendance Center, put together an impressive late charge. In the final 400 meters, he caught up to J.J. Hall and briefly took over second place, but Hall responded with a big kick to finish just ahead in 17:59, with McConnell right behind in 18:00.
In the team standings, Myrtle Attendance Center earned a strong victory with 37 points and a team average of 18:29, placing all scorers within the top 15. New Site High School finished second with 57 points and an average of 18:49.
MHSAA 3A Girls Recap
The MHSAA 3A girls race continued the day's trend of dominant solo performances. Eighth grader Evelyn Spellings from St. Andrew's Episcopal School led from start to finish, running confidently to claim her first cross country state title in 20:01, just missing a sub-20 performance. Compared to last year, she improved by almost two minutes.
Behind her, teammates Caitlin Penton and Mary Cecilia Neely finished second and third in 20:25 and 20:27, rounding out a clean sweep for St. Andrew's.
On the team side, St. Andrew's Episcopal School delivered one of the most dominant team performances of the day, nearly achieving a perfect score with 17 points and a team average of 20:35. Saint Patrick Catholic High School placed second with 49 points and an average of 21:47.
MHSAA 3A Boys Recap
The MHSAA 3A boys race featured some of the fastest times of the day. Joseph Ross, a senior from Saint Patrick Catholic High School, led wire to wire to win in 15:51. The performance earned him his second individual state title and marked a 40-second improvement from last year.
In second place, Jackson Jumper from St. Andrew's Episcopal School finished in 16:45, improving by more than a minute from his 2024 performance.
The team race between Saint Patrick and St. Andrew's was one of the closest in recent memory, with just three points separating them. Saint Patrick Catholic High School came out on top with 31 points, led by Ross and boosted by an impressive run from eighth grader Elliot LaPrad, who hit a personal best of more than a minute in only his second career 5K.
St. Andrew's Episcopal School finished second with 34 points and a team average of 17:51.