Staff report

CONCORD — South Rowan freshman Hope Julian ran 19:30 to win the South Piedmont Conference Cross Country Championships on Thursday, but Lake Norman Charter’s girls had an overwhelming team.

The Knights placed five in the top 11 runners and posted a 26 score with a 2-3-4-6-11 sheet. Aimery Coffey was runner-up in 19:58, with teammates Emma Nelson and Mary Caroline Williams taking third and fourth.

Rowan County champ Carson led the Rowan squads and beat the Cabarrus squads, but was a distant second to LNC with a 71 score.

Emily Landaverde was ninth in 21:20 to pace the Cougars. Carson’s Kara Crotts, Karis Miller and Julia Burleson finished close together in the 22s for 13th, 14th and 15th. The fifth scorer for the Cougars was Lexlyth Sotelo, who finished just outside the top 20.

East Rowan edged South Rowan for third place by a point. Sadie Featherstone was eighth in 21:15 to lead the Mustangs. Iyanna Lynch Berry was 12th in 21:55, and Morgan Efird was 18th.

South’s Madalynn Gulldege was 10th in 21:20, but she and Julian were the only Raiders in the top 20.

Northwest Cabarrus was fifth at 127, with Robison (132) sixth.

Concord, Central Cabarrus and West Rowan could not post team scores (the minimum is five). Katie Roberts led the Falcons. She was 24th.

Julian was honored as SPC Runner of the Year.