By Josh Bean | For the AHSAA

    MONTGOMERY – James Clemens High School senior Luke Alverson set a personal-record in winning the Southern Showcase at John Hunt Running Park in Huntsville last week.
    Alverson won with a time of 14:49.25 at the meet that attracted teams from around the Southeast and featured more than 250 runners in the Championship Division. Alverson’s performance puts him in this week’s AHSAA Cross Country Spotlight, and rightfully so, because he is the first Alabama runner to break 15 minutes this season. His time ranks 10th nationally, according to Milesplit, so far during the 2024 high school cross country season.
    On the girls’ side, Brewer junior Rose Betts delivered the week’s fastest time of 18:26.26 to win the Fairview Invitational at Fairview Town Park. She won the race by almost 20 seconds in setting a new personal record. Betts has two individual wins in two races already this season.
    From a team perspective, the Huntsville High School boys excelled by finishing runner-up at the Southern Showcase placing three runners in the top 21 – Eric Moore (15:02) in fourth, Jack Gruber (15:54.24) in 17th, and Charles Pearson (15:58.77) in 21^st place. Belen Jesuit Prep (FL) won the team title by placing its top five runners in the top 27.
    Here's a look at other top performances from this week’s cross-country action, according to www.alabamarunners.com:

 

GIRLS

EMMA BROOK LEVERING, HOMEWOOD: Finished eighth at the Southern Showcase with a personal-record time of 18:35.58.

SARAH TOLE, AUBURN: Ran ninth at the Southern Showcase with a time of 18:35.90.

MADDYN CONN, WHITE PLAINS: Finished runner-up at the Fairview Invitational with a time of 18:45.30.

KYLIE GERO, JAMES CLEMENS: Clocked 19:24.64 to finish 31st at the Southern Showcase.

ABBY MERNER, AUBURN: Finished 32nd at the Southern Showcase with a time of 19:25.20.

RYLEE PLEXICO, AUBURN: Ran 19:33.49 to finished 35th at the Southern Showcase.

KATIE MAE COAN, LAWRENCE COUNTY: Clocked 19:35.31 to finish 36th at the Southern Showcase.

HADLEY TURNER, HEWITT-TRUSSVILLE: The eighth grader finished 50th at the Southern Showcase with a time of 19:58.46.

ANNA PEZENT, UNIVERSITY CHARTER: Clocked 22:04 to win the Gardendale Invitational. Gardendale’s Caylie Vance was second in 22:26.

 

BOYS

ERIC MOORE, HUNTSVILLE: Clocked 15:02.00 to finish fourth at the Southern Showcase at John Hunt Running Park in Huntsville.

BRYCE McCLEARY, HAZEL GREEN: Ran 11th in the Southern Showcase with a personal-record time of 15:33.92.

JACK GRUBER, HUNTSVILLE: Ran 15:54.24 to finish 17th in the Southern Showcase.

EVAN CHRISTOPHER, SOUTHSIDE-GADSDEN: Finished 20th at the Southern Showcase with a time of 15:57.50.

CHARLES PEARSON, HUNTSVILLE: Clocked 15:58.77 to finish 21st at the Southern Showcase.

BAILEY KENDRICK, DAR: Ran 16:10.95 to finish 28th at the Southern Showcase.

WILLIAM PORR, McGILL-TOOLEN CATHOLIC: Clocked 16:11.87 to finish 29th at the Southern Showcase.

HUDSON WILLIAMS, CHELSEA: Clocked 16:14.92 to finish runner-up in the Blue Division race at the Southern Showcase.

ALEX ENGLAND, FAIRVIEW: Won the Fairview Invitational at Fairview Town Park with a time of 16:26.14.

CONNER CAMPBELL, CHELSEA: Finished fourth in the Blue Division with a time of 16:29.48 at the Southern Showcase.

KENNETH ALONSO, McADORY: Won the Gardendale Invitational with a time of 18:12, more than 50 seconds ahead of Clay-Chalkville’s Lee Smith (19:04).