Published: November 02, 2009 08:36 am      

Ada's Biles runs way to All-State

EDMOND — Josiah Biles became Ada High’s first-ever cross country All-State selection in leading the Cougars to a sixth-place finish at Saturday’s Class 5A state meet at Mitch Park in Edmond.

Biles, a state qualifier in 2008 for a program that didn’t field enough runners to qualify as a team, ran easily the fastest time of his career — 17:11 — to finish 10th in Saturday’s five-kilometer race. As a team, Ada — competing as a team at a state cross country meet for the first time in school history — totaled 226 points, just one ahead of Duncan and El Reno, who tied for seventh.Guthrie claimed the team crown with 43 points, and Deer Creek — led by overall gold medalist Talor Buck (who ran a time of 16:36 to finish 13 seconds clear of his nearest competitor) — was second with 58 points. Bishop McGuinness (95), Bishop Kelley (123) and Tahleqhah (158) rounded out the top five.

“Sixth out of 14 teams, plus 14 individuals, is not too shabby in our first trip to the state meet,” second-year Ada coach Drake Daniels said. “Josiah ran well. He averaged about 5:30 or 5:31 per mile. He knocked about 30 seconds off his fastest (previous) race.”

Cale Prince, who ran cross country this fall for the first time, turned in a solid 17:53 clocking to finish 21st, and Colin Earle was 43rd in 18:58. Brooks Thompson (90th in 20:22), Diamond Middleton (98th in 20:58), Seth Windsor (102nd in 21:08) and Matt Smith (106th in 22:31) completed the running order for the Cougars.

Byng’s boys and girls squads also turned in solid efforts Saturday in the 4A state meet over the same course. Junior Chelsea Gillum earned medalist honors with a 15th-place finish to lead the Lady Pirates to a seventh-place showing in the team standings, and the Pirates wound up ninth in a rebuilding year for a boys program that was making its eighth state meet appearance in nine years.

Gillum capped her first season of cross country competition with easily her best clocking this fall (12:51) to finish less than a minute behind race winner Jori Davis of Piedmont, whose time of 11:52 was 13 seconds better than her closest competiton. Byng sophomore Shay Grove was 22nd in the running order in 13:06 and was followed by teammates Sarah Jones (56th in 13:48), Shellie Bynum (81st in 15:16), Jenny O’Grady (96th in 16:07), Halley Taylor (97th, also in 16:07) and Sundiin Bohan (106th).

Madill finished with 65 points to run way with the team title. Metro Christian (106), Piedmont (120), Elk City (136), Seminole (139), Vinita (162) and Byng (220) completed the top seven.

“Seventh was about where we expected to be,” veteran Byng coach Clint McGaha said. “I said going in if we could finish eighth or better it would be a good day. We can shoot for an even better finish next year with some younger girls joining the team.”

McGaha’s boys squads finished with 245 points, well behind the 51-point total of champion Santa Fe South and runner-up Metro Christian (56) but solid considering the Pirates were a longshot to even be racing Saturday.

“We were glad to be there and said we would be happy with 11th or 12th,” said McGaha, who has just one senior on his boys team. “To finish in the top 10 when we weren’t supposed to be there was a good finish. We have almost everybody back next year, so the boys should also improve.”

Sophomore Tate O’Grady — the Pirates’ No. 2 runner for most of the season — turned in a career effort Saturday, covering the five kilometers in 18:12 to shave 40 seconds off his best previous time. Another sophomore, Chris Hatton (Byng’s No. 1 runner all season), tripped and took a nasty fall on the wet ground about 600 meters into the race and finished 56th with a time of 19:02.

“Chris came back and fought hard,” McGaha said. “He’s going to be a good runner for us.”

Chase Sorrels was 65th with a clocking of 19:13, Colton Stidham wound up 68th in 19:20, and the team’s only senior, Buck Roberson, checked in 84th with a time of 19:59. Caleb McGaha was 103rd in 21:37 and Landry Hudson finished 108th in 23:15 to complete the Byng running order.