ROCK HILL — On Tuesday, September 23, Northwestern High School hosted a cross‑country meet on its home course, drawing teams from Fort Mill, Riverwalk Academy, and Palisades High School. In both the boys and girls 5K races, Fort Mill turned in dominant performances, while Northwestern, Riverwalk, and Palisades showed encouraging efforts as the season develops.
Boys 5K
Fort Mill’s depth was on full display, as the Yellow Jackets placed eight runners in the top 10 overall, effectively sealing the team win early in the race. Their pack running and depth beyond the top five further solidify their position as one of the strongest teams in the region.
Team Results
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Fort Mill won convincingly with 18 points, placing 1‑2‑3‑5‑7, finishing with a total time of 1:25:07 (average 17:02).
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Northwestern took second with 46 points (4‑6‑11‑12‑13), clocking 1:30:33 (average 18:07).
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Riverwalk Academy came in third with 82 points (10‑15‑17‑19‑21).
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Palisades High finished fourth, scoring 112 with its top five at 18, 20, 23, 25, 26.
Top Performers
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Finn Leckrone (Sr, Fort Mill) and Connor Demmerle (Sr, Fort Mill) tied for first, each finishing in 16:32.1, establishing immediate separation from the field.
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Owen Ware (So, Fort Mill) followed closely in 16:32.7, completing a 1‑2‑3 sweep for Fort Mill.
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For Northwestern, Cameron Bybee (Sr) was the lead runner, finishing 4th in 17:36.4. Michael Thomas (Sr) brought in 6th place at 17:47.6.
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Among Riverwalk’s scoring runners, Hunter Willis (Fr) led at 18:19.0 (10th overall).
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Palisades’ top finisher was John Royals (Sr) in 20:28.8 (36th).
Girls 5K
Fort Mill not only finished first and second individually, but also placed nine runners in the top ten — underscoring the team’s depth and consistency. With a tightly packed front group and strong support from underclassmen, the Fort Mill girls continue to set the pace for the region.
Team Results
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Fort Mill again asserted dominance, scoring 18 points with finishes of 1‑2‑4‑5‑6. Their total time was 1:37:53 (average 19:35).
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Northwestern placed second with 51 points (3‑9‑11‑13‑15), finishing in 1:48:19 (average 21:40).
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Riverwalk Academy took third with 85 points (12‑14‑18‑20‑21).
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Palisades High placed fourth with 102 points (10‑19‑22‑25‑26).
Top Performers
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Kaylee Rovenstine (Jr, Fort Mill) won the race in 18:42.1, holding off the field with a strong pace. -
Marlee Cook (Sr, Fort Mill) followed in 19:25.9 for second.
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Grace Harvey (Jr, Northwestern) was the lead Northwestern runner in third place with 19:43.4.
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Alivia Cleveland (Sr, Fort Mill) and Mia Zook (Jr, Fort Mill) filled out Fort Mill’s top five, finishing 4th (19:53.4) and 5th (19:55.2), respectively.
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Sophia Landivar (Jr, Palisades) led the Palisades contingent, finishing 14th in 21:41.7.
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Emme Herring (So, Riverwalk) was top for Riverwalk at 18th (22:10.1)
Full results are available at Mitchell Timing.
