By Dave Ryan

CAMBRIDGE – The 2023 Bayside Athletic Conference Championships were held at Cambridge-South Dorchester High School’s home course, “The Jungle,” on Wednesday, with about 200 athletes from throughout the Eastern Shore competing.

Ben Marks of Queen Anne's County finished first among the boys, in a remarkable time of 15:17 over this three-mile course. As Marks maintained a pace of little more than five minutes per mile over the uneven ground – that’s what runners appreciate in a true cross country course – gasps were heard among spectators.

Those exclamations only increased when Marks emerged from the forest surrounding the central field, headed into the 300-yard stretch to the finish…and hit another gear for his final “kick” to the end the race and gain the victory.

Cambridge-South Dorchester's fastest boy was junior Tekai Drummond, who finished third in 16:57. North Dorchester's swiftest Eagle was Kyle Fellon, 11th place, in 17:39. In all, 97 men raced.

Among the 66 women racing, Parkside's Logan Newton was first, in 20:24. C-SD's fastest was Camryn Russum, 4th, in 20:59.

ND's fastest was Adison Thomas who was 9th in 21:52. Her time shows great promise, as a freshman in her first season of high school competition.

In cross country racing, scores match a runner’s place. That is, someone who finishes first, scores 1 point; coming in 15^th scores 15 points, and so on.

A team’s top five runners’ scores are combined for the team tally, with the low score winning.

Stephen Decatur won the women's team title, with a score of 41. North Dorchester was eighth of the eight teams, scoring 160. C-SD did not have the required five runners to get a team score.

Among the men, Kent Island won the team title, with a score of 70. C-SD was third, scoring 89, while ND was 7th of the 14 men's teams, with a score of 161.

Men’s team scores and places

• Kent Island High School – 70, 2+4+19+21+24 (25+27)
• Stephen Decatur High School – 88, 8+12+16+23+29 (36+44)
• Cambridge-South Dorchester High School – 89, 3+9+10+13+54 (87)
• Easton High School – 116, 5+18+28+32+33 (34+35)
• Queen Anne's County High School – 136, 1+15+30+39+51 (59+63)
• North Caroline High School – 154, 17+20+37+38+42 (45+57)
• North Dorchester High School – 161, 11+26+31+40+53 (65+66)
• Snow Hill High School – 227, 6+43+48+50+80 (88)
• James M. Bennett High School – 239, 7+46+47+68+71 (73+83)
• Kent County High School – 271, 41+49+56+58+67 (69+70)
• Mardela Middle & High School – 294, 14+52+62+74+92 19:13
• Pocomoke Senior High School – 342, 55+60+72+77+78 (85)
• Parkside High School – 355, 61+64+75+76+79 (81+84)
• Washington High School – 369, 22+82+86+89+90 (91)

Women’s team scores and places

• Stephen Decatur High School – 41, 2+3+9+10+17 (20+24)
• Kent Island High School – 74, 4+7+12+22+29 (33+34)
• North Caroline High School – 94, 5+14+21+26+28
• Queen Anne's County High School – 107, 15+16+18+23+35 (37+39)
• Parkside High School – 122, 1+11+31+38+41 (46+47)
• James M. Bennett High School – 142, 8+19+30+40+45
• Easton High School – 158, 13+25+27+43+50
• North Dorchester High School ­– 160, 6+32+36+42+44 (48+49)

The event was organized by C-SD Coaches Lois Narr and Clint Falduto, who led the many coaches and volunteers. Full results can be found at md.milesplit.com.