Running on the same course they’ll be on when the state championship rolls around in early November, the Brookhaven High cross-country team ran very well Saturday in the Mississippi College High School Season Opener.

The Brookhaven High boys are ranked as the top team in the state, regardless of class, by the website Milesplit.com. The girls’ team is number five in the overall ranking and the top rated 5A team according to the same website. The BHS cross-country team is led by coach Shannon Knott.

Saturday, senior Jacob Britt finished first overall in a field of 266 runners as BHS was the top boys’ team in team competition that had 23 schools running. BHS edged out 6A programs Ocean Springs, Pearl, Biloxi and Starkville to take the top spot. Britt finished in a time of 16 minutes and 30 seconds. His teammate, sophomore Grayson Childress, was third in 16:41, just one second behind Brock Kelly of Tupelo Christian Prep.

Sophomores Sam Arnold (17:07) and Jake Thompson (17:11) finished in fifth and sixth place for BHS. Other BHS finishers included freshman X’Zavion Stweart (18:54), sophomore Trey Knott (19:05), senior Samuel Mabile (19:54), sophomore Collin Kellum (20:45), senior James Gardner (23:25), senior John Michael Chance (23:31), freshman Jeremiah Layton (24:25) and freshman Maddox Linton (27:18).

Freshman Carter Watson of Brookhaven Academy finished with a time of 27:20.

Robert Massengil from BHS finished eighth in the middle school race that covered 3,300 meters. He was followed closely by his teammate Jackson Hedgepath. Other middle school finishers for BHS included Wyatt Scott, Walker Williams, Cade Johnson, Cornelius Allen, Braden Bairfield, Bram Wolfe, Luke Simmons, Markham Williams, Braden Johnson, and Asher Newman.

Middle schoolers representing Brookhaven Academy in the race included Tristan Fortenberry, Cohen Case, Jacob Sanford, and Parker Moak.

The girls’ varsity race was just as big as the boys with 190 individual runners and 16 teams competing for the trophy. The Lady Panthers finished runners-up to 6A Pearl as they took second place over Ocean Springs who finished third.

Senior Bailey Pounds was the top finisher for BHS with a time of 21:42, which was good enough for eighth place. Ole Brook senior Carely Craig (22:01) finished in 12th place. Other BHS finishers were sophomore Ellie Slay (22:57), freshman Quinn Boerner (24:04), freshman Lily Gray (24:05), senior Emmaline Wolfe (24:17), senior Madde Brabham (25:07), freshman Ramie Stovall (25:47), sophomore Merritt Wolfe (26:48) and sophomore Amy Mabile (28:23).

Senior Lucie LeBlanc of Brookhaven Academy finished with a time of 27:21 and her sister Katie, a freshman, finished in 31:29.

Annablle Summers was fourth in the girls’ middle school race for BHS. Ainsley Orr of Brookhaven Academy finished 20th in the middle school competition.

Other middle school runners for BHS included Raney Scott, Ella Thompson, Evie Bowman, Maggie Sheppard, Sanya Graham, and Anabel Gray.

Other middle school runers for BA included Livi Fortenberry, Reagan Fortenberry, and Ava Rutter.

The Panthers will run again on Saturday in a meet hosted by Madison Central. The race takes place at Madison Trails that run around the perimeter of Madison Middle School. West Lincoln will also be hosting a meet on Saturday with high school girls beginning at 9 a.m. and the other races to follow. Races will start and finish on the football field.