Middlesex High School senior harrier Sarah Baker finished 9th at the Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 1A state championship at Salem last Saturday. She covered the 5K course in a blazing time of 20:37.3.
Baker was named to the VHSL Class 1A All-State team for the second year in a row. She finished 14th last year with a time of 21:31. Baker’s 9th place is the best finish for a MHS Lady Charger runner since 2013 when Leigh Harrow finished 5th in the state.
Kensey May of Parry McCluer High School won the race in 18:42.
Lancaster’s Hailey Smith was the top Region A runner. She finished fourth in 20:07. Smith and Baker were the only Region A girl runners to earn a medal for placing in the top 15 and to receive All-State honors.
The only other Lady Charger harrier to compete in the state race at Salem was Katherine Campbell, who finished 71st with a 24.54.4 time.
George Wythe High School won the team competition with 39 points. Galileo High School was second, 88 points; Auburn High School, third, 112; Parry McCluer, fourth, 116; Mathews, fifth, 153; West Point, sixth, 158; Riverheads, seventh, 180; Rappahannock County, eighth, 195; Grundy, ninth, 198; Lancaster, 10th, 216; Rural Retreat, 11th, 231; and Castlewood, 12th, 266.
Middlesex qualified two individual runners for the race but did not qualify as a team.
