The Houston cross country program had another huge day at the 2025 South Central Association conference championships meet Monday at Willow Springs Municipal Golf Course.
Houston High School runners brought home two titles, as the Lady Tigers won the team championship and freshman Lyla Huffman took the individual crown. Meanwhile, Houston Middle School athletes earned three championships, as the boys topped the team standings to remain unbeaten for the season, while eighth-graders Oliver Choate and Myles Copley also stayed undefeated in 2025 with individual wins in the boys and girls races.
Huffman finished the tough 5,000-meter course in 20:35.03, close to three minutes ahead of the runner-up in the field of 25 runners, Mountain Grove sophomore Makynli Blackwell.
The Lady Tigers scored only 25 points in taking the SCA team championship for the third straight season, while Mountain Grove was the only other squad with a five-runner score.
The rest of Houston’s team score came from senior Lilly Kincaid in fifth, sophomore Jessyn Allen in eighth, senior Natalie Clinton in ninth and junior Adyson Dailing in 12th.
The HHS boys placed third among seven teams with scores, as Mountain Grove won and Ava took second. Senior Jack Sawyer and junior Marcus Posant both finished in the top-10 in the field of 43, placing ninth and 10th, respectively.
Huffman and Kincaid received First Team All-SCA honors, while Allen, Clinton, Sawyer and Posant earned Second Team recognition.
In middle school boys competition, Choate posted a time of 8:53.41 on the approximately 1.65-mile course. The Tigers scored only 22 points to beat six other teams with scores.
HMS eighth-grader Charlie Benoist came in second at 9:18.01, while eighth-grader Liam Stickel ran third, seventh-grader Rocky Gilbert came in eighth and seventh-grader Dominic Stice finished 12th.
Copley topped the field of 32 middle school girls with a time of 10:02.53, more than a minute-and-a-half ahead of Willow Springs eighth-grader Kinsley White, who placed second.
In the elementary school race, two Houston fifth-graders had top-five finishes, as Mary Hummell placed third in a field of 21 girls Kipp Copley took fourth in a field of 25 boys.
“What a great day to be a Tiger!” said Houston head coach Justin Brown.
HHS runners will compete again Thursday (Oct. 16) in a big meet at Clever and next Tuesday (Oct. 21) at Eldorado Springs.
