Cruz Thomas Sets Westminster School Record at State

Thomas broke a 16-year-old coaching record while earning a state medal in the Class 5 cross country meet held in Columbia.

Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Track & Field

Westminster Christian Academy's Cruz Thomas set a school record and earned a state medal at the Class 5 cross country meet in Columbia. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Westminster Christian Academy runner Cruz Thomas set a school record in the Class 5 state cross country meet, finishing 27th in 15:29.30 and earning a state medal. Felicity Stierwalt also set a Westminster sophomore school record in the Class 4 race.

Why it matters

Thomas's time broke a record held for 16 years by his coach, Daniel Everett, a member of Westminster's Class of 2011. The results mark a strong showing for the school's cross country program at the state level.

Official state meet results show Thomas finishing 27th in 15:29.30 and Skiljan 16:22.30 and Campo 16:28.30 in Class 5, while Stierwalt placed 26th in 19:23.60 and Holohan 51st in 19:53.00 in Class 4. The prior record time and team standings were not included in the extraction.

The players

Cruz Thomas

Cruz Thomas is a Westminster Christian Academy runner who set a school record in the Class 5 state cross country meet.

Felicity Stierwalt

Felicity Stierwalt is a Westminster Christian Academy sophomore runner who set a school record in the Class 4 state cross country meet.

Daniel Everett

Daniel Everett is Westminster's cross country coach and a member of the school's Class of 2011, whose 16-year-old record Thomas broke.

The details

Thomas earned a state medal for a top-30 finish at the Class 5 meet held at Gans Creek in Columbia. Luca Campo and Sam Skiljan also ran for Westminster in the Class 5 race, with both closing their seasons with personal-best performances.

Nov. 13, 2026: Westminster runners competed at the state cross country meet.

Season Trajectory

Thomas's record-breaking state run caps a season in which Westminster's runners reached the state meet at both the Class 4 and Class 5 levels. The result places the program among the state's competitive distance squads heading into future seasons.

Thomas's record and medal finish add a state-level result to Westminster's program history that parents and recruiters can track. Fans following Westminster distance runners can use these official times to compare future seasons.

The takeaway

Consistent training across a season can turn into a state-level result, as Thomas's record-setting run shows for young distance runners. Tracking official meet times over time helps athletes see the progress that leads to personal and school bests.