Vestavia Cross Country 2025 Sectionals
- Angela Zhang
- Nov 3
- 2 min read
On October 30, the Cross Country team fought for their spot at the State Championships. It was a chilly morning with overcast skies and intermittent drizzle, around 50 degrees. The team had raced on the same course on October 18, which helped the athletes better gauge the terrain and develop stronger racing strategies.
At sectionals, teams compete against others in the same division and area. In Alabama, there are four different sectional sites for 7A teams. Vestavia and surrounding schools—such as Hoover, Mountain Brook, Homewood, and Oak Mountain—attended the sectionals hosted by Trussville. The top four finishing teams from each section automatically qualify for the state meet, along with the top six individuals outside of the qualifying teams.
The girls raced before the boys at 9:30 a.m. The energy was high as many students came out to support their friends, along with Dr. Inabinet, who came to cheer the athletes on. AJ Litty led the team with a fourth-place finish, crossing the line in 19:32.83. Abby Allen finished close behind in sixth place with a time of 20:01.99. Both received honors for their top-ten finishes. The girls’ team finished a close second—just one point behind—automatically qualifying for the state meet. Their second-place finish sets them up well to be in the running for an award at the State meet.
The boys raced at 10:30 a.m. JT Hayes led the field with a first-place finish, running 16:06.77. Jackson Mize followed in second place with a time of 16:26.82, and Ethan Meadows completed their impressive 1-2-3 sweep in 16:29.42. All three earned honors for their top-ten finishes. The boys’ team finished first overall by twenty points, automatically qualifying for the state meet. Their first-place team finish sets them up well to bring home a map! Last year, the boys received the runner-up title. They are eager and ready to fight for the championship title this year.
The state meet will be held in Oakville, Alabama, on November 8. The athletes have nine days between sectionals and state to prepare for the big day, and they would love to see a strong student section cheering them on! At the state meet, all 7A teams from the four sections that qualified will compete against each other. The boys race at 8:50 a.m., and the girls race at 9:50 a.m. on November 8. Come out and support your Rebel runners!
Go check out the team’s Instagram for more updates: @1rebeltrackxc
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