Special to Pelahatchie News
The East Rankin Academy Lady Patriots finished the 2025 cross country season back where they belong: on top of the podium as the MAIS AAAA, Division I state champions! This is East Rankin Academy’s fifth consecutive state title and the first of the new MAIS classification system, slotting the team into the highest classification against former 6A powerhouse programs. Going into this final matchup, ERA (the last MAIS 5A state champion) was neck-and-neck in rankings with the last MAIS 6A state champion, Madison Ridgeland Academy, which was seeking its ninth consecutive title. Led by star eighth grader Jewel Baker, who finished second overall, the Lady Patriots behind her raced with pack precision, picking up spots 11-15 for a team score of 52. This outpaced Madison Ridgeland Academy by nine points (team score of 61) followed by Simpson Academy (73 points) and Oak Forest Academy (132 points) to round out the top four teams.
The Lady Patriots varsity team consists of two seniors (Jensen Baker and Arin Hawk), two sophomores (Emma Raines and Edie Tate), two freshmen (Kate Bryant and Haley Headrick) and a deep group of talented middle schoolers, including eighth graders Jewel Baker and Chandler Hunt; seventh graders Caroline Thornton, Alex Burkard, and Hadley Erickson; and sixth grader Isabella McLeod. For their Top 12 finish, Lady Patriots Jewel Baker and Caroline Thornton were named to the 4A All MAIS team.
As the overall Division I champions, the Lady Patriots picked up 20 points toward the MAIS All Sports award system. At the conclusion of the championship, four-time MAIS 5A Coach of the Year David Hopper stated that he was extremely proud of all his athletes, both boys and girls, and the hard work, dedication and growth each has experienced over the competitive season.
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