MOBILE, Ala. — A 20-gun salute. That’s what the Bayside Academy cross-country Admirals earned Friday at Langan Park in Mobile. By qualifying 10 boys and 10 girls in each division, both teams will advance to the Class 3A state meet Saturday at Jesse Owens Park with the maximum 10-member roster. Only the top three teams make the cut for state.

The Lady Admirals won the section title defeating T.R. Miller 38-43 and Montgomery Catholic in third with 61. The Bayside guys took third 71-88 over a strong Montgomery Catholic team behind winner Cottage Hill’s 34 and runner-up Trinity’s 51. 

Bayside head coach Alan Foster was proud of all his runners for responding to their individual and collective challenges. The defending 3A state champion girls for the pressures of high expectations. Expected to win—even though their fastest athletes are in middle school (eighth graders Mary Catherine Branyon and Abby Warner and freshman Delaney Klutes)—they are guided by four senior veterans.

And the Admirals led by three experienced, pressure-hardened and fast upper-classmen in seniors Ryan Shankle and Griffin Williams and sophomore Ash Midyett are still balanced by a very young but gutsy group of hard-charging kids.

“Our (girls) pack continues to grow strong thanks in large part to the senior leadership of Bowen Spotswood, Carlisle Calametti, Brittany Houseman and Isabel Leatherbury. The leadership, encouragment and positive energy is going to be hard to replace next year. It is a special group. They have stepped up and really allowed everyone to grow and find their value.  

“Especially during Homecoming week — full of distractions along with the normal heavy academic workload that all the kids take. So, thanks to our seniors for stepping up and keeping the team focused and in the right frame of mind. And I need to mention that we have secret weapons on our coaching staff, Adam Richardson, Brooke Caldwell and Ashley Dempsey. We look forward to state and wish all our competitors a great week of training and good health.”

Branyon, Warner and Klutes finished third, fourth and seventh overall. Branyon’s 19:20 and Warner’s 19:56 matched up well against T.R. Miller's senior-seasoned sister duo of Karissa and Katie Nelson who took first and second in 18:21, 18:51. But Foster said it took a total team effort to edge out Miller for the title.

“MC and Abby were also matched up against and pulled away from the 2-time, 2A state champion Taylor Gerad from Montgomery Academy,” he added. “Delaney darted to another personal best race (20:40) despite being a bit under the weather—keeping our girls in the team title hunt versus Miller. Our team-depth took over and brought us home as sophomore Catie Caldwell (21:42) stepped up with a monster performance and placed 11th overall—but more importantly—put numbers on the board to push us to within one point of T.R. Miller 24 to 25. Next, Carlisle Calametti finished with a lightning fast kick to cap the scoring by putting six places on (Miller’s No. 5 runner) to push us over the top for a 38-43 win. We can always depend on Carlisle to use her All-State 100m dash speed at the end of races.”

Foster said the 3A boys third-place spot appeared to be a toss-up going in requiring another total team effort from his Admirals crew.

“Friday was an awesome all-out effort from our guys team,” he said. “On paper it looked like Catholic, T.R. Miller and Bayside were within a few points of one-another for the final spot to State. Congrats to our boys who left everything on the course. Shankle and Midyett executed the race plan to perfection — with both of them going immediately to the front of the pack to take control of the race and set the tone. They both showed a ton of guts and gave it their best shot running stride for stride with Trinity's Wesley Curles (the 2-time defending cross-country champion) for the first mile. Each delivered big by finishing second and third overall to help put us up 20 points on Montgomery-Catholic.”

Points Bayside would need to punch their ticket to state as Catholic finished 12, 13, 16, 21 and 26 in the scoring but failing to catch the Ad Men by 17 points.

“Alex Grace ran a monster race to keep us close to Catholic's No. 3 running a huge personal best of 19:23,” Foster said. “William Hixson scratched and clawed his way to another personal best and finished a step behind Catholic's No. 4 finishing in 22nd—also setting a personal best of 19:50. Trevor Gibbons sealed the deal with his 20:02 effort (a personal best by almost 90 seconds) slamming the door shut and helping the Admirals earn a state berth.”  

Foster also said it is a tough fact that only 10 runners per team are allowed to run at state.

“Unfortunately we are only allowed to race 10 at state. We have so many deserving on the 2013 squad who have all worked this year and deserve another race.”

Looking ahead to Saturday Foster added that the Bayside boys team has steadily moved up the in the rankings and is poised to compete for a top-4 finish as six teams are all within a few points of each other.  

“Westminister Christian Academy looks to be the class of the field with both Cottage Hill Christian and American Christian fighting for the runner-up trophy,” he said. “Bayside, Trinity, Pisgah, Sipsey Valley, Elkmont and Lauderdale County all look to have a shot at fourth. This is why we race. Paper rankings and stats are one thing, but pushing the go button and watching who performs is another.”  

The Lady Admirals team has maintained the No. 1 state ranking all season and are looking to defend their 2012 state crown Saturday. But they will have their work cut out for them—a challenge their coach says they welcome.

“(As) the defending state champs from 2012 and winning the state outdoor track titles in 2012 and 2013, they know they will go back into the 3A state championship with a big target on their backs,” Foster said. “T.R. Miller has the Nelson sisters (seniors Karissa and Katie) so they will absolutely be ready to run all out and Pisgah, Sipsey Valley and now Winfield all looked poised to threaten for the Blue trophy. Exciting times. Go Admirals.”

For full results visit: http://al.milesplit.com/meets/150401-ahsaa-section-2-1a-2a-and-3a#.UnaFwxjTMfp

Top CLASS 3A team and top-10 time results:

GIRLS, TEAM SCORING: Bayside Academy 38, T.R. Miller 43, Montgomery Catholic 61, Cottage Hill 81. Trinity 147, Opp 167.

INDIVIDUALS: 1. Karisa Nelson, T.R. Miller, 18:21.28; 2. Katie Nelson, T.R. Miller, 18:51.55; 3. Mary Catherine Branyon, Bayside, 19:20.67; 4. Abigail Warner, Bayside, 19:56.69; 5. Caroline Cumbest, Cottage Hill, 20:04.99; 6. Allie Nelson, T.R. Miller, 20:18.47; 7. Delaney Klutes, Bayside, 20:40.12; 8. Katelyn Stark, Montgomery Catholic, 21:16.43; 9. Lauren Allred, Cottage Hill, 21:29.33; 10. Emily Theurer, Montgomery Catholic, 21:36.00.

BOYS, TEAM SCORING: Cottage Hill 34, Trinity 51. Bayside Academy 71, Montgomery Catholic 88, T.R. Miller 120, Opp 171.

INDIVIDUALS: 1.Wesley Curles, Trinity, 16:26.55; 2. Ryan Shankle, Bayside, 17:12.92; 3. Ash Midyett, Bayside, 17:27.15; 4. Jonathan Dismukes, Cottage Hill , 17:44.20; 5. Tyler Bennett, Cottage Hill, 18:03.45; 6. Blake Verdin, Cottage Hill, 18:09.38; 7. T.A. Sluis, Trinity, 18:11.88; 8. Christian Carlson, T.R. Miller, 18:16.15; 9. Zachary Myers, Cottage Hill, 18:16.76; 10. Connor Allred, Cottage Hill, 18:19.68.