LEXINGTON — University of Louisville cross country Runners James Gurley and Roman Sierpina have been pushing each other for the past few years.

Saturday during KHSAA Class A state cross country championship -most Kentucky Horse ParkGurley and Sierpina pushed each other into first and second place, respectively.

Gurley completed the race in 15 minutes 50.62 seconds, and Sierpina in 16:01.20.

“It definitely feels good,” Gurley said. “It’s a feeling that not many runners get to experience, and I think especially great guys like Roman pushing me, the way he gets ahead, makes it really worthwhile.”

Last week at the Class A Region 3 championships, Gurley took first place with a time of 15:15.30, while Sierpina took second place with a time of 15:38.38.

Sierpina finished at state last year secondGurley finished fifth.

College coach Sydney Goetz (Gurley’s mother) got emotional talking about the boys’ accomplishments.

“Roman has always set the bar for excellence for Louisville Collegiate since his middle school years. He’s been the top boys runner. I mean, he’s been very good since middle school. So he set the bar. He gave it his all. “He’s an exemplary guy,” Goetz said. “It means the world to our program,” he said.

“James then got into sports, so I think he learned how to race when he was around someone like Roman. (He) helped James build his confidence and training together improved them both.”

Collegiate finished seventh in the team standings (224 points). Villa Madonna won the team crown (108 points).

Class A men’s individual leaders

• James Gurley (University of Louisville) – 15:50.62

• Roman Sierpina (University of Louisville) – 16:01.20

• Ryan Shaps (Kentucky Country Day) – 16:23.62

• Grant Greenwell (Bethlehem) – 16:32.52

• Grayson Miller (August) – 16:39.22

Scores of the A class men’s team

Walden’s Elizabeth Mathews finished in the top 10

Walden’s Elizabeth Mathews She finished sixth (20:33.83) in the girls race and finished in the top 10 at state.

“My race today, this course is really tough so it wasn’t the great time I wanted but I’m really happy with my place,” Mathews said.

“I’m looking forward to the indoor track season because it’s going to be fun. … Everyone who runs at Kentucky is so good and I’m really honored to be able to compete with some really talented and hard-working people.”

Kentucky Country Day’s Hailey Hack (20:35.36) finished seventh.

Beechwood’s Lily Parke finished first with a time of 19:01.72.

Lexington Christian and Beechwood finished the race with 53 points, but Lexington Christian won the team championship due to its sixth runner having a better time.

Individual leaders of Class A girls

• Lily Parke (Beechwood) – 19:01.72

• Kennedy Moughamian (Lexington Christian) – 19:25.35

• Hadley Raisor (Lexington Christian) – 20:00.49

• Isabelle Shearer (Jackson County) – 20:14.87

• Annie Sewell (Lexington Christian) – 20:31.42

Class A girls team scores

* Lexington Christian won the team title via tiebreaker.

Reach sports reporter Prince James Story at [email protected] and follow him on X at @PrinceJStory.

This article first appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky High School cross country state meet results: Varsity dual