Couey, Bunce Win Section 2 Cross Country Titles
Auburn High School swept both team championships at the AHSAA Class 6A Section 2 meet held at Kiesel Park on October 29.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Running
Caroline Couey won the girls' race in 18:32.7 and Connor Bunce won the boys' race in 17:04.1 at the AHSAA Class 6A Section 2 cross country meet on October 29. Auburn High School won both team titles with 27 points in each race.
Why it matters
Section results determine which runners and teams advance to the state championship meets, which begin Saturday, November 7. Couey's win also marks another step in her running career as she recently committed to run at Southern Miss.
Couey finished in 18:32.7 and won by 51.6 seconds over Emily Webster, while Bunce finished in 17:04.1 and won by 10.9 seconds over Henry Stewart. Team scores were Auburn 27 in both races, Smiths Station 43 in boys and 111 in girls, and Opelika 79 in boys and 96 in girls.
The players
Caroline Couey
Couey is an Opelika High School runner who set the school's girls record at last year's state meet and recently committed to run at Southern Miss.
Connor Bunce
Bunce is an Auburn High School runner who won the boys' race at the Section 2 meet.
The details
Auburn High School won both team titles at the AHSAA Class 6A Section 2 cross country meet held at Kiesel Park in Auburn. Couey set Opelika's girls school record at last year's state meet, and Smiths Station placed second in the boys standings while Opelika took third.
Timeline
October 29, 2026: Section 2 cross country meet held at Kiesel Park.
Saturday, November 7, 2026: State championship meets for Class Private A through 6A begin at 7:50 a.m. at Oakville Indian Mounds Park and Education Center in Moulton.
Season Trajectory
The Section 2 results set the field for the AHSAA state cross country meets, which begin November 7 and run through the Class Private A to 6A divisions. Advancing from sectionals is the required step toward those state titles.
Advancing from the Section 2 meet puts Couey, Bunce, and their teams in position for the state meets starting November 7. Fans planning to watch the state meets can use the November 7 start time to plan their travel to Moulton.
The takeaway
Section results are the first step toward state, and both winning runners and teams now have a clear path to the November 7 meets. Readers following local runners can track the state results as they come in.
What happens next
The AHSAA state championship meets for Class Private A through 6A begin Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 7:50 a.m. at Oakville Indian Mounds Park and Education Center in Moulton.
Further reading
Find more local coverage in the Running section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Opelika Observer.
