Polk County junior Caleb Potter took top honors Thursday at the Western Highlands Conference cross country meet on the campus of Montreat College in Black Mountain.

Potter won his first conference championship with a time of 17:59.6, finishing 12 seconds ahead of Madison’s Elisha Barnette.

Polk County’s Evan Dadson took fourth with a time of 18:32.0, joining Potter on the all-conference squad.

Madison placed five runners in the top seven to win the boys conference title, scoring 23 points to Polk County’s 48.

Polk County’s Conner Holtz placed 13th in 20:09.8, with Jack Derkach 14th in 20:15.2 and Emmett Zacharias coming home 16th in 20:20.6

Also running for Polk County were Kiyon Staley (21:14.3), Chris Rickman (21:58.6), Tyler Lawrence (22:12.6) and Joseph Poe (23:50.8).

In the girls competition, Polk County’s Taytem Johnson placed seventh in 24:44.6 and Sadie Allen took eighth in 24:51.0. Izzy Jackson (27.18.3) and Ailey Morlino (34:11.2) also ran for the Wolverines.

Johnson and Allen earned all-conference honors with their finish.

Owen swept the top four places to win the girls conference championship, with freshman Hannah Larios finishing first in a time of 21:54.2.

The Wolverines will next compete in the 1A West Regional on October 28 at Asheville Christian Academy in Swannanoa.

Submitted by PolkSports.com