By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Keaton Downey became the first Beechwood cross country runner in 43 years to finish first in the Class 1A boys regional cross country meet on Saturday in Dry Ridge.
The senior completed the 5,000 meet course in 17 minutes, 16 seconds to win the small-school race. The last Beechwood runner to do that was Mark Dulaney, who won back-to-back Class 1A regional titles in 1974 and 1975.
The other local runners who won regional races on Saturday were Conner junior Peyton Fairfield in Class 3A boys (16:46), Walton-Verona sophomore Caileigh Waters in Class 1A girls (20:46), Highlands sophomore Maggie Schroeder in Class 2A girls (19:14) and Simon Kenton senior Sophia DeLisio in Class 3A girls (19:59).
DeLisio also won Class 3A girls regional titles in 2014 and 2015 and placed second last year. Schroeder was Class 2A regional runner-up the last two years.
Campbell County topped the Class 3A girls team standings for the first time since 1994. Conner won its first Class 3A boys team title since 2009 by having the top four finishers in the race.
The Class 1A team champions were St. Henry boys and Brossart girls. In Class 2A, Lexington Catholic boys and Highlands girls took home first-place trophies.
Complete results from regional cross country meets are posted on the khsaa.org website.
The state championship meet will be this Saturday at Kentucky Horse Park near Lexington. The schedule of races is: Class 1A boys, 9:30 a.m.; Class 1A girls, 10:15 a.m.; Class 2A boys, 11:30 a.m.; Class 2A girls, 12:15 p.m.; Class 3A boys, 1:30 p.m.; Class 3A girls, 2:15 p.m.
Last year, Brossart won its first Class 1A girls state championship and Highlands took the Class 2A girls team title.