Heat and lightning delays seem to be the norm this season, especially for the local Paragould Rams and Greene County Tech Eagles. Two weeks ago at the Melbourne Invitational, the senior races were shortened to a 1.5 mile course as a result of the heat, and this past week on the Rams’ home course, the senior girls and boys races were combined to fit in the small window between lightning and sunset. Despite this, both the Rams and the Eagles and making their way with a great showing at the Paragould Rams Invitational.
The all-clear was given; the coaches were told to get the runners to the line- the boys trying to warm-up a second time and many of the girls running cold. However, instead of panic, the runners, male and female, formed a large circle and Paragould's Logan Brown (third finisher with a time of 18:20.70) prayed for the safety of the runners and thanked God for the health of their bodies to compete together. Prayer circle pre-senior race- approx. 150 athletes joined
Runner-up Kaelyn Edwards said that the Rams are a tightly-knit team and that “God is a big motivator and an inspiration for most of us.” Edwards finished strong behind champion Aubrey Minton of Valley View.
Edwards claimed that cross country served as the sport to prepare her for her first love: track. "I'm not really a cross country runner... track is my sport," Edwards laughed, "I am only out here to help my team.... I love my team. They are supportive and my coaches are really great."
Two points is certainly not a bad way to help one's team. Edwards finished at 20.46.8. The Paragould girls placed 1st with 20 points and Valley View came in second with 32 points.
The senior boys’ race champion, Tyler Bedgood (junior) of Paragould said that the lightning delays made his warm up a bit of a puzzle, but that “you have to run the race that is given to you” and when he got to the line he was ready to go. Bedgood said the heat and the humidity were still high and that he “was just sitting on everyone… not trying to exert [himself] in this heat” but decided to make his final move at the 2.5 mile mark.
Bedgood was glad to have finally run a 5k after the shortened race at Melbourne, and that he enjoyed being out there with his team on his home course. He finished at 18.09.2.
Runner-up Charles Sawyer (sophomore) of Greene County Tech agreed that the weather delays made warming-up a bit difficult, but that his dynamics on the line helped him to remember the feel of the pace he wanted.
At the four hundred, Wyatt Hinsley of Brookland led the race, followed by Batesville’s Alan Aguilar. Sawyer held at fourth and Bedgood was at ninth. When Bedgood made his break at the 2.5 in the tree line, Sawyer followed. Sawyer further said that he was really proud of the GTC's junior girls and boys, “They ran really hard. Our coaches have really picked up the training- the team looked good.” Sawyer finished 18:18.9.
Photo Credit: Brent Sawyer Paragould's Sr Boys Champion, followed by GTC's Runner-Up Charles Sawyer
Paragould took first with 28 points and Batesville placed second with 51.
For the boys 1.55, Brookland’s Dexter Mellow was champion with a PR of 8:44.0, and Will Henry Hogue of Batesville was runner-up at 8:51.5. Mellow recalls feeling really strong and was really happy with his first-mile split. Mellow said he was shooting for a sub-six but instead ran a 5:35 pace. He knew the race was his when he passed Hogue at the last quarter mile. Hogue also ran an exceptionally beautiful race, improving on his 8:53 time at Melbourne last week.
Batesville’s Will Henry Hogue leads the race at the 400m, with Champion Dextor Mallow on his heels
The Junior girls’ champion, Ruby Westbrook of MacArthur Junior High, finished in 9:50.5, making this one of the strongest performances of the day. Westbrook’s victory at the Paragould Ram Invitational adds another strong performance to an impressive 2026 season. Greene County Tech’s Cadence Holt, finishing at 9:57.8 spoke about the heat and how she did not feel like she was going to do well, but managed a PR of almost 30 seconds. Holt said that “After Ruby passed me…. I was just trying not to slow down.” Holt noticed that Westbook was the closest person next to her and felt like it was going to be a good race. “My coach, Coach Blair, yelled for me to run hard, and I just knew I could do it.”
Greene County Tech Coach Blair Stevens talked about her team. Stevens said that the heat has caused her to need to adjust her team’s practices and claims that the summer practices made the difference. “I wasn’t sure how we were going to do [today]; I knew what the girls had put in, but I had not really been able to see the other teams compete and we haven’t really run in the heat yet.” Stevens said her team was young, and she had explained that the Paragould Ram Invitational was all about learning how to race, “and now, we just get better every race.”
Coach Stevens with her Junior Girls approaching the line
Greene County Tech captured the junior girls team title with 25 points, followed by Valley View in second with 48. In the junior boys' competition, Annie Camp claimed first with 52 points, while Batesville finished runner-up with 58.
Heat and lightning delays seem to be the norm this season, especially for the local Paragould Rams and Greene County Tech Eagles. Two weeks ago at the Melbourne Invitational, the senior races were shortened to a 1.5 mile course as a result of the heat, and this past week on the Rams’ home course, the senior girls and boys races were combined to fit in the small window between lightning and sunset. Despite this, both the Rams and the Eagles and making their way with a great showing at the Paragould Rams Invitational.
The all-clear was given; the coaches were told to get the runners to the line- the boys trying to warm-up a second time and many of the girls running cold. However, instead of panic, the runners, male and female, formed a large circle and Paragould's Logan Brown (third finisher with a time of 18:20.70) prayed for the safety of the runners and thanked God for the health of their bodies to compete together. Prayer circle pre-senior race- approx. 150 athletes joined
Runner-up Kaelyn Edwards said that the Rams are a tightly-knit team and that “God is a big motivator and an inspiration for most of us.” Edwards finished strong behind champion Aubrey Minton of Valley View.
Edwards claimed that cross country served as the sport to prepare her for her first love: track. "I'm not really a cross country runner... track is my sport," Edwards laughed, "I am only out here to help my team.... I love my team. They are supportive and my coaches are really great."
Two points is certainly not a bad way to help one's team. Edwards finished at 20.46.8. The Paragould girls placed 1st with 20 points and Valley View came in second with 32 points.
The senior boys’ race champion, Tyler Bedgood (junior) of Paragould said that the lightning delays made his warm up a bit of a puzzle, but that “you have to run the race that is given to you” and when he got to the line he was ready to go. Bedgood said the heat and the humidity were still high and that he “was just sitting on everyone… not trying to exert [himself] in this heat” but decided to make his final move at the 2.5 mile mark.
