Running is more fun with others.

Day 1 State Cross Country Photo Gallery

Paris cross country proved that this season in its second year of existence but first competing for team trophies. The Lady Coyotes came back from the Class 1 MSHSAA state championships at Gans Creek in Columbia with a fourth-place team trophy for the school’s first team trophy and two all-state runners in Mairyn Kinnaman and Alexandria Tullis, who finished eighth and 16th, respectively. Landen Chapman was seventh in the boys race to win a medal as he ran with a Coyotes team that finished 11th.

Kinnaman, Tullis and Chapman all reached the podium individually for Paris after each qualified for state the second straight year. They were the lone Paris runners at state last year, though, and were happy to send teams of seven boys and five girls this time around for the joy of competing as a team but also to improve themselves. To earn his first career state medal, Chapman improved his 55th-place finish last year and state time by about two minutes at 17:12, which was largely possible from having a team with him.

“Having teammates to run with instead of running by myself all the time,” Chapman said when asked what led to his success this year. “It was really nice to be able to compete for team rewards this year and being able to get plaques.”

Chapman helped recruit the Paris boys who ran on Friday, with the exception of fellow returner David Elzea. Elzea had the Coyotes’ next best finish in 123rd out of 168 with a time of 19:54 and the other Paris boys finished behind him but had personal-best times. Hayden DeOrnellas ran a 19:59, Severeno Olivias had a 20:13, Chase Graupman had a 20:15, Owen Buie finished with a 20:17 and Trevor Burch had a 20:54.

Alexandria Tullius, who had a 21:19 to earn her first career individual medal, said she also recruited some boys and Kinnaman and she did their best to bring in the other three Lady Coyotes: Ava Crain, Kaylee Johnson and Midori Williams. Johnson and Crain finished in the top 50 in 48th and 50th, respectively, out of 119 with times of 23:03 and 23:06, and Williams was 77th with a 23:58. 

“It’s really amazing to see what our team did with five girls,” Tullius said. “One of our girls didn’t want to do this, but she turned out really well. One of the other girls was my friend and one of them was Mairyn’s friend so we just got our friends together. I want to cry because this is awesome.”

“We’ve been practically begging people to come run with us for this reason,” Kinnaman said. “We’ve been pushing all season because our goal was fourth place (coming in) and we got it.”

Buie said Paris’ other three girls were doing double duty this fall season as Crain played softball, Johnson was a football manager and Williams was a cheerleader. He said Williams has been running at less than 100 percent during the last several races but has “gutted through it” to give Paris a chance for one more team trophy to go with the multiple earned from meets this season.

“Ava, Kaylee and Midori came out in their first year of high school cross country and put the time in,” Buie said. “They continued to work and improved every race. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Kinnaman and Tullius definitely did their parts for the team since Kinnaman met her goal by finishing as a top-15 state runner and Tullius made the podium after missing it by one spot a year ago.

“I’m really proud of myself today,” Kinnaman said “I worked really hard during the summer, and I’ve also put in a lot of extra work during the season.”

“I was furious when they said top 20 this year because I said, ‘What the heck. I could’ve medaled last year,” Tullius said, jokingly. “I was really motivated this year. I just wanted to be better than I was last year so I’m ecstatic at the fact that I got top 20 even.”

Tullius made sure that her place on the podium was secure in the second 1,000 meters when she passed six runners. She said taking her time early paid off for her just as the opposite strategy works for Kinnaman, who she called “the Energizer bunny.”

“I don’t like sprinting out. Mairyn loves sprinting out, but I don’t,” Tullius said. “I’ll use the last 2K to start picking it up, or right after everyone stops sprinting out, I usually kick in the pace. I feel so tired if I’m sprinting at the start.”

“I definitely have to sprint out,” Kinnaman said. “I’ve always sprinted out definitely for peace of mind.”

Kinnaman and Tullius said they are hopeful for the boys to win their first state trophy next year while also following the Lady Coyotes’ team hardware with some more.

At the forefront of the Paris boys future plans is Chapman, who resided in the top 10 for his entire race. He said had enough at the end to even overtake a runner to take seventh place before the finish line.

“This year, I’ve been really bad at taking off really fast and dying at the end,” Chapman said. “I made sure to save some at the end.”

Buie said Chapman consistently improved this season and can’t wait to see what he accomplishes in his final two years.

“He’s run with purpose all season,” Buie said. “The sky is the limit with young man. I’m proud of everything he’s done this year, and I will continue to see great things coming from him.”

Buie and Chapman said the boys were a young group this year that showed inexperience early but improved over the year with many personal-best times. Chapman liked the Coyotes near future of this year and based his pitch to prospective runners based on that belief, and Buie likes the team’s farther future of next year.

“You have a high chance of going to state if you join us,” Chapman said. “We had a bunch of good runners this year.”

“They’re figuring things out, I see a lot more strength in them, a lot more running time and they’re times are going to get better,” Buie said. “You’re going to see a lot of Paris High School.”

Look for the story in the Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, edition of the Mexico Ledger.