Here are the 2023 boys, girls All-WNC cross-country teams, runners, coaches of the year
The Citizen Times and Times-News have released the All-WNC boys and girls cross-country teams for the 2023 season.
Brevard boys and Swain County girls each won a team title. The area had two individual state champions in Carolina Day School's Caroline Barton and Asheville School's Abby Smith, as well as five other top-three finishes at state competitions.
Here are the runners of the year, the first-team and second-team selections and the coaches of the year.
Boys
Runner of the Year
Dawson Reeves, Christ School, Sr.
For the fourth time in his career, Reeves has been selected to the All-WNC first team. The Duke commit won the boys Carolinas Athletic Association championships with a time of 15:06.90, helping Christ School take first place as a team. At the NCISAA state championships, his 15:36.70 was good for a second-place finish.
Coach of the Year
Ben Morgan, Brevard
The Blue Devils won their second state title in three seasons. Morgan coached them to a state title in his second season as head coach in 2021 with a trio of seniors, but this season's championship, led by top-10 finishes at state by two juniors and a freshman, was even more impressive.
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All-WNC Boys Cross-Country First Team
O'Malley Salinas, Andrews, So.: Though Salinas didn't medal as many times this season after winning the 1A state title as a freshman, he won the boys Smoky Mountain Conference championships with a time of 15:47.9 and finished third at the boys NCHSAA 1A West Regional in 15:55.44.
Leo Murray, Brevard, Jr.: Murray was the leading runner on Brevard's state championship team. He a 16:33.46 at the 2A state championships to finish third. His time of 16:03 won him the Mountain 7 Foothills Conference championships by 40 seconds, and he won the boys NCHSAA 2A West Regional in 16:20.60.
Logan Russo, Franklin, Sr.: Russo finished first at the boys NCHSAA 3A West Regional in 15:51.80. He also set a personal best of 15:32.40 at the Alexander/Asics Invitational and finished 12th at state.
Will Fiore, Roberson, Sr.: Fiore opened his season by winning the WNC Cross Country Carnival, then ran a better time in every meet the rest of the way. He ran a personal-best 15:48.00 at the Adidas XC Challenge. Fiore broke 16 minutes on his way to a fourth-place finish at the 4A West Regional and a 10th-place finish at the NCHSAA 4A state championship.
Nicholas Gibson, Roberson, Jr.: Along with Fiore, Gibson led Roberson to a second-place finish in the 4A West Region and a third-place finish at state. After setting his PR at the Adidas XC Challenge (15:52.90), Gibson finished fifth at the 4A West Regional and 12th at the NCHSAA state championship.
Hudson Rice, West Henderson, Sr.: Rice won the Mountain 7 Conference championship with a personal-best time of 15:38.90. He finished fifth at the 3A West Regional and placed eighth at the state championships with a 16:07.20.
All-WNC Second Team
Holden Rozof, Carolina Day School, Jr.
Eyob Gill, Christ School, Sr.
Michael Ferguson, North Buncombe, So.
Harding Kinnaird, Owen, Jr.
Kevin Cordero, Roberson, Sr.
Carl Baird, Swain County, So.
Eli Clonch, West Henderson, Jr.
Girls
Runner of the Year
Caroline Barton, Carolina Day School, Jr.
Barton successfully defended both her NCISAA 2A State Championship and her selection as 2022 Girls Cross Country Runner of the Year. Barton set a personal-best 17:36.00 at the Great American XC Festival and won four total meets, including the girls' Carolinas Athletic Association championships at Asheville Christian Academy.
Coach of the Year
Keith Payne, Swain County
Payne, in his second year, has led Swain County to a second state title; the Maroon Devils have won three straight. Swain County placed three runners in the top 10, including Annie Lewis, who finished fifth, and Arizona Blankenship, who finished sixth in her only meet of the season.
All-WNC Girls Cross-Country First Team
Sofi Alexander, Asheville High, So.: Alexander earned top-five finishes three times, including a fifth-place finish at the 4A West Regional. She set a personal-best 18:37.38 at the Foot Locker Championships South Region.
Abby Smith, Asheville School, Sr.: After top-five finishes in each of her first three seasons, Smith captured the NCISAA 3A state title in 18:40.00. The Davidson College commit finished runner-up behind Barton in three other meets this season.
Dvdaya Swimmer, Cherokee, So.: Swimmer's second-place finish at the 1A NCHSAA state championships was the only meet she hasn't won in her two-year career. She set a personal best at the 1A West Regional with her first sub-18 time of 17:55.37.
Katie Johnson, North Buncombe, Sr.: Johnson led the Black Hawks to the Mountain Athletic Conference championship, second place at the 3A West Regional and third at the 3A NCHSAA state championships. Her time of 18:48.10 at the regional was good for third place and a personal best.
Annie Lewis, Swain County, So.: Lewis finished fifth at the girls 1A NCHSAA state championships in 19:53.94, leading the way to Swain County's third consecutive state title. She was a consistent presence on the podium, including a third-place finish at the 1A West Regional in 18:46.17.
Breanna Budzinski, West Henderson, Sr.: Budzinski had a strong season for the Falcons, starting with a victory at the WNC Cross Country Carnival and finishing with a fourth-place finish at the 3A NCHSAA state championships. The Appalachian State commit set a personal best with a 17:46.60 at the Mountain 7 Conference championships.
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All-WNC Second Team
Morgan Cress, Franklin, Fr.
Eden Barnwell, North Buncombe, Sr.
Avery Mays, North Buncombe, Sr.
Sydney Moss, Roberson, Sr.
Angelina Lomelli, Swain County, So.
Julia Wells, Tuscola, Fr.
Noelle Houlihan, West Henderson, Jr.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Here are the 2023 boys, girls All-WNC cross-country teams
