Calhoun County, AL – White Plains’ Conn, Munford’s Frank continue to be the Class 4A champions. White Plains’ girls seconds and boys are third in the team standings.

By Joe Medley

Munford’s Dakota Frank will graduate as two-time cross-country champion following his second race on Saturday.

White Plains’ Maddyn Conn won back-to-back state championships, and is hoping for another chance to win three while working to assist the Wildcats transform from blue to red.

For the second time in consecutive years, they came out as the top performers in Moulton.

Frank has avenged his 2022 state title with running in 15:45.05 and beating Westminster Christian’s Coston Korotky by 12.81 seconds. The Alabama-Huntsville recruit will complete with his final high school year exactly the way his heart desires.

Munford’s Dakota Frank ran to his second class 4A State championship this weekend in Moulton. (Submitted photo)

“That was my intention for this season, which was to win again,” he said.

Frank’s time was a bit off his personal best of 15:24 on the identical course.

“I began my journey, and I was third or second up to about 800 meters after which I attempted to move ahead,” he said. “I realized that it was possible to get ahead and put some distance between myself and the guy in second place I would be able to help him.

“Once I turned back and reached the snakes, or what they call that follow me, the runners ahead of me got caught up with me. I was certain that I needed to gain the ground I held back which is why I began pushing it upwards up through the hill.”


White Plains’ Maddyn Conn was the dominant player in the class 4A girls state cross-country meet this weekend in Moulton she was the state champion in her own category and guiding the Wildcats to the second place finish. (Submitted photo)

Conn ran a personal best of 18:30.32 beating Millicent Talmadge from Providence Christian for the second time in two years.

Conn was the winner in the race by 36.40 seconds.

“At the start, 2 other women were there too at the same time, but after half a mile, I began to move away,” she said. “From that point, I simply started to lead and came the race strong.”

Conn adhered to her pre-race plan to finish a fantastic start, White Plains coach Chase Cotton stated.

“She used a similar approach similar to what she had at the start of our year,” the driver said. “She was looking to go off solid. If she did we were afraid that the girl in front of her would not be able to maintain that pace.

“She was determined to get out and simply take on her race without letting anyone else dictate her race She was a king today.”

In the standings of the team Providence Christian’s girls beat White Plains’ 62-93 for first place, however the Wildcats beat projections from the computer which had them in third place.

“The predicted first team in the world was Providence, but we defeated them on the day,” Cotton said. “We did not have enough to defeat Providence today however seven girls did run their personal records today. They ran with their hearts in the air.”

White Plains’ boys, with the help of Josh Duke in 26th place (17:49.75) was third.


With the help of State champion Maddyn Conn (center-right), White Plains’ girls claimed their second class 4A state title as a runner-up at the weekend in Moulton. (Submitted photo)

White Plains brought home its second “red map” second place prize for girls’ cross-country The boys also have one. Both teams have a lot of potential for the next season.

“Only lost one of our seniors and finishing 2nd in 4A, that is a great feeling heading into the next season,” Cotton said. “The boys had a blast of a race this morning. They placed eighth last year, and third this year. we’re not grading any of the students this year.”

Here are other noteworthy individual and team performance.

Class 6A

Inspiring to success by Calhoun County champion Isaac Williams with a 37th-place finish (17:03.32) Oxford’s boys placed 12th. Emerson Maniscalco finished 38th (20:36.47) and led Oxford’s girls to 15th place.

Class 5A

Southside’s Evan Christopher finished second (15:43.66) to lead the Panthers to eighth in the standings of the team. He was 7.82 seconds slower than John Carroll Catholic’s Arthur Langley.

Lincoln’s boys achieved the top place among local teams, coming in third place. Ben Guthrie finished 17th in 16:58.45.

Southside’s girls placed seventh and led by Taylor Dortch (34th, 21:12.26). Jessa Nash took 37th (21:22.23) to the Central-Clay girls to a 11th-place finish.

Alexandria’s Kammy Buchanan was 19th in 20:15.85 JoJo Watson was 30th with 20:51.17.

Class 4A

Jacksonville’s girls placed fourth with Emma Easterling’s ninth place result (20:18.37).

Alex Busbin finished 22nd in 17:32.31 to lead Handley’s boys to ninth.

Class 3A

Glencoe’s Sarah Ponder, an individual qualifier, led the area girls to 17th in 20:23.86 and Piedmont’s Mattie Todd placed 21st with a time of 21:06.19. Piedmont’s girls came in 11th place.

In the race for boys the Piedmont’s Caiden Cardelli placed 39th in 18:30.92. Glencoe’s Owen Beason, an individual qualified runner, was the next runner from the area in the 60th position (19:17.9).

Class 1A-2A

Pleasant Valley’s boys placed sixth. Braxton Williams was on top in 14th place (17:05.38). Riley Goodson (53rd, 18:27.30) helped Donoho finish 14th.

The girls’ races Faith Christian’s Evie Garrett, Olivia Garrett and Anna Claire Mitchell placed in the 80th position (23:53.69) and 81% (23:54.96) as well as 82nd (23:56.39) respectively. Zelly Wood was the fastest in Pleasant Valley in 87th (24:03.97).