‘It just wasn’t our day’
Lady Jackets slip to 5th at state XC; claim academic title
SOPHOMORE Scout Snodgrass (left) led Kingfisher’s contingent at state as she finished 26th overall. Chesni Newkirk (right) was 49th in her final race for the Lady Jackets. [Photos by KT&FP Staff and by Russell Stitt]
4A ACADEMIC CHAMPS – KHS won the Class 4A cross country academic state championship. Team members pictured are, from left: front row, Kinley Taylor, PEyton Walker, Chesni Newkirk, Scout Snodgrass and Lily Lunsford; and back row, coach Kerri Lafferty, Ha
In most respects, 2023 was Kingfisher’s season.
Saturday just wasn’t Kingfisher’s day.
The Lady Jackets finished in fifth place at the Class 4A state cross country meet at Edmond Santa Fe High School.
“Placing top-five in the state in 4A is pretty impressive,” said head coach Kerri Lafferty. “It’s always the toughest competition and a really tough class.”
At the same time, Lafferty and her team left Edmond with at least some bouts of despondency.
“Obviously we expected to place higher,” Lafferty added. “And we were disappointed we did not compete as well as we could or should have competed.”
KHS entered state ranked No. 2 in the class.
The Lady Jackets had arguably the best season in school history leading up to the chilly, wet conditions at state.
The team took part in seven regular-season events and won six of them. The lone exception was a short-handed one-point loss to Hooker, the team that dominated Class 2A for a third straight season.
Then in the previous week’s regional meet, the Lady Jackets torched the field and the course at Oklahoma Bible Academy, setting a school record for the lowest top-five average.
But it didn’t carry over. Scout Snodgrass was Kingfisher’s highest placer as the sophomore finished 26th out of 162 runners. She was 24th among runners who scored points for a team.
She crossed in 13:03.18. Next was Kinley Taylor in 35th (30th) in 13:16.23.
Liberty Starr was 36th (31st) and Lily Lunsford 38th (33rd).
Chesni Newkirk rounded out the five Kingfisher scorers by crossing the finish line of the 3,200 meter course in 49th (42nd).
Harper Evans was 55th (47th) and Peyton Walker 87th (72nd).
“Some of our girls didn’t run as well as we’d hoped going in,” Lafferty said. “And I’m not sure why because I felt like we were more prepared than ever.”
Top-ranked Pauls Valley was as advertised.
The Lady Panthers snagged the state title with just 78 points.
Four of their top-five runners were 15th or better among scoring placers, including twins Kenzi Readnour and Keira Readnour, who were first and second, respectively.
No. 7 Poteau took state runner-up with 105 points while fourth-ranked Re- gent Prep took third with 115.
No. 4 Byng, which KHS beat in the pre-state meet on Sept. 23, was fourth with 120 points.
KHS tallied 160. “We had an incredible season and beat some really good teams,” Lafferty said. “This was a fun group of kids to coach and to watch compete.”
And smart. KHS was announced as the co-academic state champion in Class 4A along with Perkins-Tryon.
The Lady Jackets received their academic title during Saturday’s awards ceremony.
It’s a prestigious title to own and one the Lady Jackets earned with a cumulative GPA of 4.0.
“I hope everyone realizes how impressive that is and how proud I am of these girls for that accomplishment,” Lafferty said. “It says so much about these girls that they not only put in a ton of work with our program, but also in the classroom.
“It’s the most important thing they accomplished this season.”
But the trophy they received was not the only one the team hoped to be walking away with.
“It’s hard to compete for a team title if you don’t have anyone running in the 12’s at state,” Lafferty said. “That said, we know the girls gave all they had on Saturday.
“It just wasn’t our day.”