ISAAC ANDERSON claims individual state title as Saints boys finish fourth and girls place fifth at state meet.

Oklahoma Christian School's cross country program capped a historic 2026 season with an individual state championship, multiple school records and top-five team finishes at the state meet.

Senior ISAAC ANDERSON highlighted the Saints' season by capturing the boys individual state championship Oct. 24 at Carl Albert, finishing the 5,000-meter race in 15 minutes, 51 seconds. The OCS boys finished fourth overall, while the girls placed fifth, completing a season that included the girls program's first team meet victory and multiple championship performances.

Saints Make History Early

The Saints opened their season Aug. 14 at the Heritage Hall Relay, where VIOLET RUSSELL led the girls with a two-mile time of 13:01 and Anderson paced the boys in 10:01.

OCS followed with a strong showing against Class 6A competition at the Deer Creek Meet on Aug. 22. Russell led the girls in 20:52, followed by JOPLYN GRIBBLE in 20:57. Anderson finished in 16:11 to lead the boys, while TITUS RUSSELL followed in 17:27.

The program reached its first major milestone Sept. 3 at the Carl Albert Meet.

The OCS girls captured their first team meet victory in program history, finishing with 32 points to defeat runner-up Heritage Hall, which totaled 48.

Gribble led the Saints with a second-place individual finish in the 3,200-meter race, setting a personal record of 12:53. VIOLET RUSSELL placed fifth in 13:20, while AVERY ESTES finished 10th in a personal-best 13:39. EVELYN ELLIOT also recorded a personal best, finishing 11th in 13:43, and REESE PETTY placed 12th.

The boys nearly completed a team sweep, finishing second overall. Anderson placed second individually in 16:56, followed by TITUS RUSSELL in seventh at 18:09. BEN BAKER, ANDREW TRUONG and SHEPHERD CHANDLER rounded out the Saints' top five.

OCS continued its season Sept. 12 at the Lincoln Christian Meet, where the girls finished eighth and the boys placed ninth. Gribble led the girls with a 22nd-place finish in 20:15, while Anderson placed seventh in the boys race in 16:24.

Saints Sweep Heritage Hall Meet, Set School Records

The Saints returned to Heritage Hall on Sept. 26 and delivered one of their strongest performances of the season, with both the girls and boys capturing first-place team finishes.

Gribble won the girls individual race in 12:17, followed closely by VIOLET RUSSELL in second at 12:21. Elliot added a seventh-place finish in 13:05.

The boys were led by TITUS RUSSELL, who finished third in 17:12. Chandler followed in fourth at 17:14, while Baker and ANDREW TRUONG finished seventh and eighth, respectively, both recording times of 17:42.

Anderson did not compete with the team at Heritage Hall, instead racing in the large-school division at Oklahoma State University's cross country course.

The Saints carried that momentum into the Chile Pepper Cross Country Festival on Oct. 3 in Fayetteville, Arkansas, where two OCS runners established new school records.

Gribble finished 18th overall in the girls 5,000-meter race, setting a school record with a time of 19:23.

Anderson added another record-breaking performance, finishing fifth overall in the boys race with a school-record time of 15:33.

The performances marked another milestone for a program that continued to build momentum throughout the fall.

OCS Builds Momentum Heading Into Postseason

OCS returned to competition Oct. 9 at the Bethany Meet, where both teams finished among the top three.

The girls placed second overall, led by Gribble's eighth-place finish in 12:23 and VIOLET RUSSELL's ninth-place finish in 12:30.

The Saints also swept the top four individual positions in the girls junior varsity division. TINSLEY CARGILL won the race in 14:14, followed by CARSON SANDERS in second at 14:15, Kendall Breedan in third at 14:52 and PIPER EMMETT in fourth at 15:08.

The boys finished third overall, highlighted by Anderson's individual victory in 16:28. Chandler placed seventh in 17:09, while TITUS RUSSELL finished 18th in 17:45.

The Saints carried that success into the regional championships Oct. 17 at Bridge Creek.

The OCS girls finished third overall to qualify for the state meet as a team. Gribble led the Saints with a third-place individual finish in 12:29, followed by VIOLET RUSSELL in seventh at 12:46.

The boys finished second overall, led by another individual victory from Anderson, who crossed the finish line in 16:39. Chandler placed fourth in 16:54, while TITUS RUSSELL finished 11th in 17:32.

With both teams advancing to state, OCS entered the final meet of the season with an opportunity to add to an already successful year.

Anderson Claims State Championship as Both Teams Finish Top Five

The Saints closed their season Oct. 24 at the state cross country championships at Carl Albert, delivering strong performances on both sides.

Anderson capped his senior season with an individual state championship, winning the boys 5,000-meter race in 15:51.

The victory marked the culmination of a season that included a school record, multiple individual victories and consistent top finishes against strong competition.

Behind Anderson, the OCS boys secured a fourth-place team finish.

Chandler placed 23rd in 17:11, followed by TITUS RUSSELL in 46th at 17:57. ANDREW TRUONG finished 48th, also in 17:57, while Baker placed 68th in 18:16.

The girls completed their historic season with a fifth-place team finish.

Gribble led the Saints with an eighth-place individual finish in 12:18, followed by VIOLET RUSSELL in 13th at 12:30. Elliot placed 41st in 13:26, Petty finished 55th in 13:43 and Estes placed 66th in 13:59.

The state meet marked a fitting conclusion to a season that saw both teams reach new heights.

A Season to Remember

From the girls program's first team meet victory to a sweep at Heritage Hall, school records at the Chile Pepper Festival and an individual state championship, the 2026 season marked a significant chapter in OCS cross country history.

The Saints demonstrated consistent improvement throughout the fall, with experienced runners leading the way and younger athletes contributing across varsity and junior varsity competitions.

For head coach Cheyenne Castillo and the OCS coaching staff, the season reflected months of preparation, dedication and commitment from the student-athletes.

Following the girls' historic first victory at Carl Albert earlier in the season, Castillo reflected on the team's growth and the significance of its accomplishments.

"Coach Driskill and I are so incredibly proud of our girls' team," Castillo said. "These girls have been working so hard since the summer, and it means so much to us to be a part of something so special. Watching their hard work, dedication and growth come together has been such a blessing."

Castillo also emphasized the impact the experience would have on the athletes beyond competition.

"Most of all, we give all the glory to God for allowing these girls to be part of this history-making moment," Castillo said. "What a special opportunity and an incredible memory they will carry with them!"

With an individual state champion, two school records, multiple team victories and top-five finishes at the state championships, OCS cross country closed the 2026 season with plenty to celebrate and a strong foundation for the future.