HALE – The final high school cross country race for Hale senior Paxton Downing came on the biggest stage. On Saturday, Downing competed at the Division 4 state championships, at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, where he finished 82nd overall with a clocked time of 17:39.

“It was a great day, Paxton ran very close to his personal best,” head coach Steve Bradley said. “Anytime you can get to the state finals, it is a celebration, it was fun.”

Downing ran at the state finals when the entire team made it his eighth grade year, but this was his first time qualifying as an individual. It felt like the perfect send-off for the well-decorated runner.

“That’s the goal, is to get down there to the state finals,” Bradley said. “Once you get to the state finals, that says a lot and then

See Full Page