Adoette Vaughan of Hockaday was able to help keep her SPC state cross country winning streak alive for four years. That reign came to an when she graduated.
So, there was going to be a new winner crowned at the SPC state meet. Who could it be? That was the only question. The 2018 runner-up, Maddie Hatfield was the idea candidate and the favorite heading into both the season and into Saturday's state meet.
The Greenhill senior had a path to the top, but she had to fend off several of Texas' top young runners and the future of the SPC Conference.
Houston Kinkaid sophomore Kevrianna Scott and Austin St. Stephens junior Katie Kline were involved in a head to head match up with Hatfield challenging for the title.
Halfway through the race, Kline had taken the lead and putting the pressure on the field. Hatfield was in the second position giving chase, but she had more to deal with. A chase pack of young runners were trying to chase both her and Kline down. Strong sophomores Victoria Schmidt of Dallas Episcopal and Kat Kwiatkowski of Houston Episcopal were on the hunt themselves for the SPC title.
However, Hatfield has been tested by competing in the elite races at several big meets state wide. This season alone, she placed fifth at the Southlake Carroll Invitational, was second at the MileSplit TX XC Invitational, and most recently was ninth at the McNeil Invite.
Those experiences allowed Hatfield to stay composed and attack in the second half of the race. That is exactly what she did as she put on the heat winning the race by nine seconds.
Having captured her state title, the East Carolina University commit will next compete at the Nike Cross Regionals South on November 23, 2019.
Madie Hatfield's Stats
