Kernersville – Paced by top-five performances by juniors Caleb Jones and Chase Pierce, the Murphy boys cross-country team finished third overall at the N.C. High School Athletic Association class 1A cross-country championships Saturday.
The duo of Jones and Pierce finished third and fifth, respectively, in 16:49 and 17:03, improving upon rookie performances at last year’s state meet.
Murphy cross country coach Davis Bryant said that the increase in confidence from last season from the duo was noticeable at the state meet.
“Confidence,” Bryant said. “They’ve got confidence now. We’re building something here, and next year I think Caleb and Chase should be running in the 15s.”
Bryant also expressed his happiness with the team’s performance at the state meet against tough competition from both public and private schools.
“Honestly, the results may not have shown it this weekend, but I’d put our program up against anyone,” he said.
“I know we got beat by Lincoln Charter and Bishop McGuinness, but we’re right there with these schools. And I guarantee we’ll be there next year on them.”
There’s no rest for the weary, however, as Jones and Pierce were back at practice on Monday preparing for the Foot Locker South Regional meet in Charlotte on Saturday, Nov. 30, where they’ll face off against the some of the top high school runners in the country.
“That’s just their character,” Bryant said of the duo’s 10 mile workout on Monday after competing at the state meet just two days before. “How they were raised and our program, what it means. People are seeing the success that these boys are having and they want to be a part of that.”
Finishing out the Murphy squad that helped earn the third-place finish were Andrew Bryson, who finished 25th; sophomore Caleb Rice, who finished 47th; and sophomore Christian Tighe, who finished 79th, along with Richard Ly and Clayton Laney.