When Heritage Christian Academy held discussions on making the move to the Kentucky High School Athletic Association, cross country was identified as a sport in which the school could make an immediate impact.
Running in its first KHSAA Class 1A region meet Saturday, HCA qualified two runners for the state meet next weekend in Lexington.
MeKena Dalke finished in 11th place at the region meet at Owensboro’s Yellow Creek Park, covering the 3.1-mile distance in 23:25. Already the owner of the five fastest times in school history, Dalke’s time is the third fastest by an HCA runner.
Her sister Emma, an eighth grader who has had success running in shorter middle school races during the season, finished in 18th place in 25:15 in her first 5,000-meter race of the year.
Also running in her first varsity race in 2023 was eighth grader Genna Calhoun, who finished in 28th place in 28:20.
The sisters will advance to the Class 1A state meet on Saturday at the Kentucky Horse Park.
–photos by Ashlyn Brown
