Decker and Lady Royals win region championships

Mason County 8th grader Paige Decker won the individual championship and led the Lady Royals to the team title at the Class 2A Region 6 cross country meet Saturday morning at Boyd County.

It's the Lady Royals' seventh region championship in 11 years.

Decker ran the 5K course in a time of 19:31.06. Ashland senior Mary Alice Thornburg was the runner-up (19:48.14) and Ashland junior Rebekah Howard was third (19:54.55).

Two other Lady Royals won medals- freshman Alyssa Bisotti in sixth place (20:54.18) and sophomore Hayden Faris in eighth place (21:23.16).

Three other Lady Royals finished in the Top 20- 8th grader Layla Henderson in 12th place (21:46.75), freshman Kylee Howe in 14th place (21:58.46) and 8th grader Elizabeth Lavinder in 15th place (22:02.27).

Mason County senior Abigail Dawson finished in 39th place (25:10.09)

The Mason County Royals finished in fourth place and qualified for the state meet.

Two juniors- Isaiah Riggs and Nick Drury- led the Royals. Riggs took sixth place (18:06.55) and Drury finished in seventh place (18:15.41).

Sophomore Carson Adams finished 23rd (19:01.17), freshman Tyler Thompson 31st (20:25.61), sophomore Mathew Dodge 33rd (20:37.00), 7th grader Peyton Ullery 34th (20:45.54) and 8th grader Cole Wright 36th (20:59.26)

The state meets are this Saturday at the Kentucky Horse Park. The Class 2A boys' meet starts at 11:30 a.m. The Class 2A girls' meet starts at 12:15 p.m.

Girls' Team Scores (Top 5 advance to state)
1. Mason County 41
2. Ashland 57
3. Boyd County 61
4. Rowan County 115
5. Russell 128
6. East Carter 147
7. Greenup County 185
8. Fleming County 213

Boys' Team Scores (Top 4 advance to state)
1. Boyd County 22
2. Russell 69
3. Rowan County 74
4. Mason County 100
5. Ashland 112
6. East Carter 143
7. Fleming County 220


(Updated to correct that Paige Decker is an 8th grader, not a freshman.)