St. Xavier’s Matthew Thomas and Manual’s Alena Sapienza-Wright have been named Runners of the Year in Area 3, which includes all schools in Jefferson County.
Thomas, a senior, finished fifth at last month’s Class 3-A boys state meet with a time of 15 minutes, 38.91 seconds. Sapienza-Wright, a sophomore, won the 3-A girls meet with a time of 18:09.45.
Named Area 3 Coaches of the Year were Male’s Damon Smith (girls) and St. Xavier’s Chuck Medley (boys).
Here are the complete Area 3 teams:
GIRLS
* Super Team (regardless of class): Megan Buechler, Kathleen Simms (Sacred Heart); Sarah Crawford, Sydney Larkin, Sarah Michels (Assumption); Rachel Curry, Kaitlyn Lacy (Male); Clara Lynch, Madalyn O’Dea (Christian Academy); Alena Sapienza-Wright (Manual). Runner of the Year – Alena Sapienza-Wright (Manual). Coach of the Year – Damon Smith (Male).
* Class 3-A: Megan Buechler, Abby Reburn, Kathleen Simms (Sacred Heart); Sarah Crawford, Sydney Larkin, Sarah Michels (Assumption); Rachel Curry, Kaitlyn Lacy, Madison Messina (Male); Alena Sapienza-Wright (Manual). Runner of the Year – Alena Sapienza-Wright (Manual). Coach of the Year – Damon Smith (Male).
* Class 2-A: Libby Gould, Clara Lynch, Morgan McIntire, Taylor Moon, Kilie Morgan, Madalyn O’Dea, Jessica Wellum (Christian Academy); Emma Kramarczyk (Valley); Jameelah Lockhart, Aerial McCay (Moore). Runner of the Year – Clara Lynch (Christian Academy). Coach of the Year – Lowery Stallings (Christian Academy).
* Class A: Madison Bevin (Portland Christian); Taylor Boggess, Lindsey Domene, Shannon Liem, Skyler Young (Walden); Ellie Cummings, Sonia Gadre (Kentucky Country Day); Anna Hurst (Collegiate); Alex Voelker, Julia Vogt (Presentation). Runner of the Year – Lindsey Domene (Walden). Coach of the Year – Paul Hall (Walden).
BOYS
* Super Team (regardless of class): Sam Ackerman (Eastern); Ryan Guenthner, Spencer Hayden, Zachary Larkin, Patrick Schaefer, Matthew Thomas (St. Xavier); Sam McCalpin, Trevor Warren (Trinity); Yared Nuguse (Manual); Keeton Thornsberry (Holy Cross). Runner of the Year – Matthew Thomas (St. Xavier). Coach of the Year – Chuck Medley (St. Xavier).
* Class 3-A: Sam Ackerman, Emerson Wells (Eastern); Ryan Guenthner, Spencer Hayden, Zachary Larkin, Patrick Schaefer, Matthew Thomas (St. Xavier); Sam McCalpin, Trevor Warren (Trinity); Yared Nuguse (Manual). Runner of the Year – Matthew Thomas (St. Xavier). Coach of the Year – Chuck Medley (St. Xavier).
* Class 2-A: Jonathan Bramley (Fairdale); Paul Henry, Warren Kennedy (Moore); Jack-Harold Enyeart, Samuel Hazelip, Jared Johnson, Jacob Miller, Steven Ott, Charles Sams, Brendan Sullivan (Christian Academy). Runner of the Year – Steven Ott (Christian Academy). Coach of the Year – Steven Ott (Christian Academy).
* Class A: Abhsir Abdi, Ethan Henes (Collegiate); Caleb Bolus, Stevie Heckman, Tanner McCauley, Josh Thomson, Keeton Thornsberry, James Zoeller (Holy Cross); Henry Starks (Kentucky Country Day); Robbie Thomasson (Whitefield Academy). Runner of the Year – Keeton Thornsberry (Holy Cross). Coach of the Year – Rich Reynolds (Holy Cross).