UPDATE: Quitman’s girls also won the Class 3A girls state title at the same meet. Read the latest: Quitman Girls Win 8th Straight State Cross Country Title
The Harding Academy Wildcats are bringing home a state championship after winning the 2026 Arkansas Class 3A Boys State Cross Country Championship on Thursday, November 5, in Hot Springs.
The Wildcats captured the team championship during the Arkansas State Cross Country Championships at Oaklawn Park, with 3 Harding Academy runners earning All-State recognition.
The championship marks an outstanding achievement for the Searcy school and its boys cross country program.
Harding Academy celebrated the victory with a message congratulating its young men for bringing home the Class 3A state championship.
“These cats can run!”
3 Harding Academy Runners Earn All-State Honors
Leading the Wildcats was Chase Jensen, who finished 3rd overall with a time of 17:11.30 in the 5,000-meter race.
Luke Penick finished 7th with a time of 17:51.75.
Luke Hoggard crossed the finish line in 8th place with a time of 17:55.86.
All 3 Wildcats earned All-State recognition for their performances.
Their finishes among the top 10 runners helped put Harding Academy in position to capture the Class 3A team championship.
Harding Academy All-State Finishers
- Chase Jensen — 3rd Place — 17:11.30 — All-State
- Luke Penick — 7th Place — 17:51.75 — All-State
- Luke Hoggard — 8th Place — 17:55.86 — All-State
Team Effort Brings Home State Championship
While the Wildcats were led by 3 All-State performances, the championship was a team accomplishment.
Harding Academy also received important finishes from Jonathan Rotich and William Copeland.
Rotich placed 22nd with a time of 19:10.31.
Copeland finished 37th in 19:50.03.
Additional Harding Academy runners competing at the state championships included Ashton Stone, Roman Hammett and Grant Copeland.
Harding Academy State Championship Results
- Chase Jensen — 3rd — 17:11.30
- Luke Penick — 7th — 17:51.75
- Luke Hoggard — 8th — 17:55.86
- Jonathan Rotich — 22nd — 19:10.31
- William Copeland — 37th — 19:50.03
- Ashton Stone — 50th — 20:11.27
- Roman Hammett — 71st — 20:59.62
- Grant Copeland — 160th — 24:26.57
The results demonstrate the depth of the Wildcats’ cross country program, with strong finishes throughout the lineup.
Wildcats Represent Searcy at State Championships
The 2026 Arkansas State Cross Country Championships were held at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, bringing together qualifying high school runners from across Arkansas.
The Class 3A boys competed over a 5,000-meter course, with both individual honors and team championship recognition at stake.
Harding Academy’s performance placed the Wildcats at the top of Class 3A boys cross country for 2026.
Searcy School Celebrates State Champions
Harding Academy shared its excitement over the championship, congratulating the runners for their hard work and determination.
The school gave special recognition to Jensen, Penick and Hoggard for their All-State finishes while emphasizing the contributions of the entire team.
The championship represents the work of student-athletes throughout the season, including training, preparation and competition leading up to the state meet.
For Harding Academy, the Wildcats’ performance in Hot Springs means another state championship is coming home to Searcy.
Congratulations to the 2026 Harding Academy Wildcats Class 3A Boys State Cross Country Champions!
Have Information You Would Like to Share?
Share your community news and events with the ArkansasRadio.com radio stations!
Submit Your Event:
https://arkansasradio.com/submit-event/
To report a typo, please click here: newsarkansasradio@gmail.com
Leave a Reply