Staff report

SALISBURY — The Rowan Pre-County Meet for cross country was won by Carson’s boys on Wednesday.

The Cougars prevailed with a team score of 30. South Rowan totaled 35.

Those two teams dominated at Dan Nicholas Park. Carson and South had nine of the top 10 runners.

Carson’s experienced team, led by Jorge Clemente-Garcia (17:29) and Eric Gillis (17:43), finished 2-3-6-9-10.  Connor Price was sixth. Bricen Burleson was ninth. James Anderson was 10th.

South had individual champ Eli Julian, who turned it on over the last mile of the course to finish with a 17:11 clocking.

Julian is the defending county champ and one of the state’s best.

South also got solid runs from Grayson Cromer (4th), Brian Hickman (5th) and freshman Ethan Overby (7th).

The fifth Raider scorer, Peyton Nail, was 19th.

A difference-maker was Burleson. He competed for South last season, but is running for Carson this year. That may swing the balance of power in southern Rowan in Carson’s direction. South’s boys have won the last five county championships.

The only runner not from South or Carson to finish in the top 10 was West Rowan’s Ethan Wilson, who placed eighth. He led West Rowan to third place.

Gavin Rodgers finished 11th to pace fourth-place East Rowan.

Soccer goalkeeper Finn Avery led Salisbury with a 17th-place finish, but the Hornets had only two runners and couldn’t post a team score.

North didn’t have any runners in the meet.