By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

The cross-country season ended on Nov. 14 outside of Moulton and saw 12 teams from Shelby County compete. There was an individual state champion, an individual runner-up and two teams that placed in the top three of their respective races. Now that the season is over, let’s take a look at the most impressive teams and runners who competed in Shelby County in 2015.

 

Mary Grace Strozier, senior, Pelham

Any discussion of Shelby County runners has to start with the senior runner from Pelham. Strozier did not match her personal best time in the 5K this season of 18:07.84, a time she ran a season ago in the 6A state meet as she claimed her first individual state title, but then again she didn’t have to. At the state meet this season Strozier ran an 18:36.38, which was almost 10 seconds slower than the fastest time she ran in 2015. It didn’t matter, however, as she won the 6A state meet by 38.94 seconds, which was the second-widest margin of victory of any of the seven individual girls’ champions. Her personal best this year of 18:26.39 was the fifth-fastest time of any girl across the state in 2015.

 

Westminster at Oak Mountain Lady Knights

The small 1A-2A school finished second in the 1A-2A state meet and is not going anywhere any time soon. The Lady Knights went to the state meet with 10 runners, and the top nine are all returning next season. Maddie Hoaglund and Sarah Kate Lipperd finished fourth and fifth at the state meet and will both be back next season to lead the group again along with Camryn Neal. Hannah Richburg and Hallie Porterfield, who both finished in the top 20 at the state meet, are only going to be a freshman and an eighth grader next year, respectively. This Westminster team has a bright future, for sure.

 

Spain Park Lady Jaguars

The five fastest girls teams across all classifications came out of Class 7A. And the three fastest 7A times all came out of Section 3. Section 3 of Class 7A, with Mountain Brook, Hoover and Spain Park, was easily the toughest section in any classification across the state. The Lady Jaguars placed third in the section meet, and placed third in state as well, without having a true juggernaut on the roster. No one on the Lady Jaguars team placed in the top eight at the state meet. The Lady Jaguars did have three runners end the season with a top-25 time, and all five of their scoring times placed in the top-30 at the state meet. Spain Park loses its top two runners in Sarah Sims McGrath and Zoe Shore, but Holland Lidikay and Isabel Caddo are ready to step up and take over the reigns.

 

Nicole Payne, freshman, Oak Mountain

Probably the single most-gifted runner in the state, Payne’s prowess extends well beyond the cross-country realm. The Lady Eagles did not make the cut for the state meet, but Payne qualified as an individual. Her time of 18:47.24 at the state meet was good for sixth-place at the 7A meet, and did not come close to matching her personal best in the 5K of 18:29.00. a time she ran when she was in the seventh grade. She has also ran a 56.09 in the 400-meter dash, which won her the 400-meter title in 7A as an eighth-grader, and is less than a second off of the overall state record.

 

Cole Stidfole, junior, Oak Mountain

Stidfole did not claim the 7A individual title. He lost out to Auburn senior Paul Barlow, who won his second straight 7A individual title, by 1.96 seconds. It was the closest finish of the day. Stidfole, however, still finished the season with the fastest time in the state by more than 10 seconds. His 15:20.45 time that he ran at the Jesse Owens Classic did not come close to getting touched all season, even by Stidfole himself for the remainder of the 2015 campaign. Stidfole will be in a dogfight once again his senior season as he tries to capture his elusive first cross-country state title, as Auburn junior Jack Rogers was only 5.31 seconds behind Stidfole at the state meet.