GRAY DEYOSports Writer

Last Friday, the Tullahoma Middle School cross country team had three runners compete at state–Ashleigh Johnson, Claire Hyden, and Lincoln Price. Here are the results from the event.

Wrapping up the 2025 season, three middle school XC Wildcat team members trucked down to Clarksville to compete in the state meet. A total of over 270 of the best middle school runners in the state of Tennessee were present at the event. Both Johnson and Hyden represented the Tullahoma girls’ XC team, and they both performed well.

Hyden got her spot with a TSSAA rule change that allowed the top eight runners of the regional instead of the top six. She had a solid outing in Clarksville, finishing in 82nd out of 138 runners.  Johnson at the event showed out, securing a 34th-place finish. Both Hyden and Johnson have been at the state meet before and were both a part of the 2023 Tullahoma XC team that placed first in sectionals and third at the state meet. For Johnson, this is the third consecutive season she has qualified for the state event individually.

Lincoln Price was the lone member of the boys’ team that competed in Clarksville, and he showed that he has a promising future in the sport. He had a 39th-place finish out of 137 runners, and like Johnson and Hyden, he also has qualified for a state event in the past.

Overall, it was an unbelievable year for the Tullahoma XC team, and these three athletes are all sure to make some noise as they continue competing in the years to come.