Hickory\'s Ryan Hill ran the sixth-best time in Jackson Park history to win the Championships division of the Western North Carolina Cross Country Carnival.
Hill, the fifth-best returner in the Southeast and last year\'s N.C. 3A champion, covered the 3.07-mile course in 15:52.5 to beat Chapel Hill\'s Taylor Gilland (16:08). Charlotte Catholic\'s Jonathan Sunde, last year\'s N.C. 3A runner-up, was the best area finisher (sixth, 16:16.5). The best time in Jackson Park history was set last year, 15:29.8 by Jack Bolas of Chapel Hill.
Asheville Carolina Day\'s Marley Burns won the girls\' race in the eighth-best time in history (19:20.5), edging South Caldwell\'s Tara Wilson, ninth-best all-time in 19:22.5. Raleigh Cardinal Gibbons\' Heather Beichner, last year\'s N.C. 2A runner-up, was third (10th-best all-time, 19:24.9) and Asheville Roberson\'s Caroline Kirby, last year\'s N.C. 3A champ, was fourth (12th-best, 19:26.3).
The top area runner was Providence Day\'s Jill Yandle (sixth, 19:59.3).
Chapel Hill, reigning N.C. 4A boys\' and girls\' champs, swept both titles. Myers Park was runner-up in the boys\' race and Charlotte Catholic was fifth. Charlotte Catholic was the area\'s top girls\' team, in fifth.