Decatur, MS-The East Central Community College Men's and Women's Cross Country teams competed in "The Opener" hosted by Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi, facing strong competition in both fields.

On the women's side, Olivia Rudolph led the way at 24:26, finishing in 51st place out of 89 runners. Shakendria Dixon followed, placing 77th with a time of 29:48, while Emaliyah King finished in 80th place with a time of 30:59. Only one other JUCO runner competed in the race alongside East Central's athletes.

For the men, Gavin Clark led the team with a strong 60th-place finish, clocking in at 17:58. Ethan Nanaeto, Jaydon Perez, Caleb Stevens, and Christian Hickman rounded out the team with determined performances, particularly Hickman, who finished despite an injured leg with a time of 34:22. The men faced a larger field of 134 runners, including only seven other JUCO athletes.

Head Coach Kenneth Thompson leads both Men's and Women's teams for the program's second season. The Warriors hope to continue to build momentum for the rest of the season.

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Both teams will compete in the Topper Trails College Classic on Saturday, September 28th!