Decided by a tie-breaker, the Robinson Rams won this year’s Virginia High School League Class 6 girls state cross-country team championship.
Robinson and the West Springfield Spartans tied for first with 57 points Saturday (Nov. 16) on the 5,000-meter Oatlands Plantation course in Leesburg.
In cross country, a tie is broken by determining the highest finisher by a team’s sixth-place runner. Robinson’s sixth runner, Madison Coutinho, placed 36th in the team scoring (50th in the race overall). West Springfield’s sixth finisher (Kaylee Horner) was 42nd (58th overall).
Leading Robinson in the state meet was sophomore runner Karina Bird in third place (18:32). Also for the Rams, Ariana Lopez was ninth (18:46), Petra Gruendel 10th (18:50), Alexandra Bird 14th (19:06), Charlotte Movsessian 31st (20:08) and Ciara Jensen 72nd (21:34). Bird won previous district and region postseason meets this season.
For West Springfield at the state meet, Allie Horner was sixth (18:36), Adeline Barker eighth (18:45), Reagan Leone 13th (18:59), Rickelle Buch 15th (19:09) and Marie Campbell 27th (19:55).
In earlier region and district meets this season, Robinson also finished ahead of runner-up West Springfield by close scores.
The Woodson girls finished fourth in the state meet, led by a seventh from Keira Arenholz (18:42) and a 22nd by Hadley Vanek (19:37).
Also in the meet, the 6D North Region champion Langley Saxons girls finished sixth and the Madison Warhawks ninth.
For Langley, Hazel Calway placed 24th (19:44) and Lila Pesavento 26th (19:52).
Madison was led by a 12th from Kiki Van Der Weide (18:56) and a 21st by Lydia Mikhin (19:35).
Individually in the state meet, Herndon Hornets senior Meghan Sullivan finished fourth in 18:34. She was the Liberty District and 6D North Region champion this fall.
Oakton’s Caroline Sapperstein finished 25th (19:45) in the girls state meet. Caroline Elliott of South Lakes was 33rd (20:15) with teammate Aya Ryan 38th (20:25).
