Jadrian Thurmon celebrated an all-state medal in another sport on Nov. 4. This time, it was in cross country.

The Montgomery County junior earned all-state honors in cross country for the first time after placing 15th with a personal-best time of 16:17.9 at the Class 3 state cross country meet at Gans Creek Cross Country Course in Columbia, making it the fifth year in a row the Wildcats got an all-state medalist.

“It means a lot for Coach (Chasity Rodgers) to train these kids who are so passionate about the sport and come here (at the state meet) and give it their all,” Thurmon said.

When he was a freshman, Thurmon earned all-state honors in track after helping the 800-meter relay team place sixth at the Class 3 state meet in Jefferson City. On Nov. 4, he received his first all-state cross country award in his second state appearance.

“It’s so much more rewarding to have this medal because cross country is one heck of a hard sport,” Thurmon said.

The all-state medal capped off an outstanding season for Thurmon. He finished with eight medals, including a first-place medal at the Mexico Invitational on Sept. 1. He qualified for the state meet by placing seventh at the District 3 meet at South Callaway on Oct. 28.

Thurmon made a huge jump from last year’s state meet, where he finished 71st. He ran a 4:55 after the first mile and was in the top 20 throughout the race.

“It’s a crazy feeling going from 71st to the top half of the medal placing at state,” Thurmon said. “I never thought that would ever happen. I had faith in myself. To make it into reality is something that it is so much different than imaging it in your head. You can tell yourself that you’re going to do this and you’re going to do that, but it doesn’t mean anything until you get yourself out there and accomplish that.”

Thurmon also came up six seconds shy of the school-record time that was set by Dawson McCown in 2021.

“I saw how close I was to getting it when I was coming around the corner (in the final mile),” Thurmon said. “I was like, ‘OK, I got to push.’ But I had double-sized stitches on my lungs and under my ribs. I couldn’t breathe, so I was pushing as hard as I could. When I crossed that line, I was so close (to the record). It was really unfortunate, but I can’t be upset.”

Senior Malia Rodgers, who was the Wildcats’ other representative at the state meet, came up two places short of getting her third all-state medal as she finished 32nd with a 20:12. She was in 20th after the first mile before dropping out of all-state contention in the final mile. Thurmon said he was pleased with Rodgers’ effort.

“She gives it her all and she does what she can to get through it,” Thurmon said. “She’s so inspiring to me.”

Rodgers made her third state appearance. She finished 13th in her freshman year and 16th in her sophomore season.

Also, Wellsville-Middletown senior Bethany Slovensky made her third state appearance as she competed in the Class 1 girls meet on Nov. 3. She placed 114th with a 25:19.3.