The East Rankin Academy (ERA) Patriot Cross Country Team concluded their 2023 regular season on Monday, October 23rd. The Lady Patriots, entering the season as the No. 1 ranked team in the state, defended their MAIS 5A State Championship for a third consecutive year. The varsity girls’ team, led by junior, Audrey Mayatte, defeated runner-up, Simpson Academy by two points. The scoring five Lady Patriots included Mayatte; eighth grader, Emma Raines; sixth grader, Jewel Baker; sophomore, Jensen Baker; and sophomore, Emily Williams.
The 2023 season kicked off with both varsity teams winning the season opener at the Simpson Academy Early Bird. This success would set the stage for both teams with the girls winning seven of their ten season matchups, including the Park Place Invitational, the Jackson Victors Kickoff, the Forerunners Night Run, the MRA Invitational and the Clinton Arrow Invitational. The varsity boys saw hard work pay off with a tremendous season of growth adding a second varsity win at the Park Place Invitational and top three team finishes at the Forerunner Night Run, the MRA Invitational and the MAIS 5A State Championship. The varsity boys’ team at the state championship was led by eighth grader, Zack Price, with scoring runners contributing to the team efforts to include freshmen, Jon Riemann; junior, Jackson Fountain; eighth grader, Walker Sartin; and sophomore, John Parker Pierce.
As finalists in the top ten of the varsity 5K races, three Lady Patriots were named to the MAIS 5A All State team to include sophomore, Audrey Mayatte; eighth grader, Emma Raines; and sixth grader, Emma Raines. Additionally, two varsity Patriots were named to the MAIS 5A All State team to include eighth grader, Zack Price, and freshmen, Jon Riemann.
The 2023 ERA team, coached by Coach David Hopper, concluded the season with the varsity Lady Patriots ranked 1st in MAIS 5A and 2nd in the MAIS overall. The varsity Patriots are ranked 1st in MAIS 5A and 4th in MAIS overall. The following ERA athletes are ranked individually in the MAIS Top 25, by grade, per MS Milesplit tracking:
PATRIOTS
Sixth: Micah Sigrest (13th); Seventh: Wyatt Smithers (20th), Christopher Chalk (25th); Eighth: Zack Price (1st), Walker Sartin (10th); Freshmen: Jon Riemann (3rd); Sophomore: RT Tate (6th), John Parker Pierce (11th); Juniors: Jackson Fountain (8th); Seniors: Grayson Blair (22nd), Gavin Thomas (24th)
LADY PATRIOTS
Sixth: Jewel Baker (1st), Chandler Hunt (5th); Seventh: Haley Headrick (5th), Kate Bryant (6th); Eighth: Emma Raines (1st); Freshmen: Leah Collipp (7th); Sophomore: Emily Williams (7th), Jensen Baker (9th), Arin Hawk (11th), Savannah Smithers (22nd); Juniors: Audrey Mayatte (1st), Rachel Smith (13th), Lydia Collipp (20th), Audrey Hawk (24th), Marlee Rakinic (25th)
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