Warhorses take Western Highlands Conference cross country championship

Warlassies finish second with two runners in the top 10

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
October 22, 2021

The Owen Warhorses celebrate a third consecutive Western Highlands Conference championship, Oct. 20, as seven runners on the team place in the top 10. Photo courtesy of Maggie Jones

The Owen Warhorses were in familiar territory, Oct. 20, as they captured their third straight Western Highlands Conference cross country championship. 

Led by junior Elijah Jones, who finished first among all runners with a time of 16:57, the Warhorses represented seven of the top 10 finishers. 

Freshman Eli Lewkowicz crossed the finish line in 18:01.15, placing third in the 5K race. Senior Noah Lewkowicz finished fifth, followed in order by Jaheem Ohara and Leo Parmenter. Steve Garcia and Kyle Tilstra rounded out the top 10. 

Jones earned WHC Runner of the Year honors for the second straight season. His personal record of 16:29, which he posted in the 2021 Smoky Mountain High School Watermelon Run in September, represents the third best time in Owen cross country history. 

Owen Warlassies cross country runners, Maddie Swanson and Piper Berry, right of center, finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Western Highlands Conference Cross Country Championship Meet, Oct. 20. Photo courtesy of Maggie Jones

The Warlassies returned as the second place team in the conference, with a pair of runners placing in the top 10. Maddie Swanson completed the race in 22:29.85, finishing fourth. She was followed by Piper Berry, less than a second later. 

Both teams will travel to Morganton, Oct. 30, for the NCHSAA 2A West Regional Meet.