James Clemens’ Megan Angelucci earns Cross Country All-State Honors in first season
2. Senior runner Megan Angelucci led the James Clemens cross country team at the AHSAA State Championships earning All-State honors in her first season of competition. Photo- Pollard Photography
DANVILLE – James Clemens High senior Megan Angelucci earned All-State honors Saturday at the 2026 Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) Class 6A Cross Country State Championships at Oakville Indian Mounds Park in Danville, capping a remarkable debut season in the sport. She was among five members of the Jets’ squad to compete at the 71st annual event with two of those first-year runners delivering personal-best performances.
Angelucci finished 14th among 175 girls competing in the 5000-meter championship race, recording a personal-best time of 19:06.5. She also placed seventh among the 28 seniors in the field.
The achievement is especially significant because Angelucci entered her senior year having never competed in cross country, and quickly emerged as the leading runner for the Lady Jets and concluded the year among Alabama’s top 15 Class 6A competitors.
Overall, the Jets qualified five athletes for the state championship, including three boys and two girls.
Among those qualifiers was Liberty Middle School seventh grader Emily Jones, who also competed in cross country for the first time this season. Jones finished 78th overall recording a personal-best time of 20:55.1. Among the 16 seventh-grade girls competing, she placed fifth, finishing 55.5 seconds ahead of the next competitor over her grade. Jones led the Jets’ Junior High squad throughout the season, demonstrating exceptional potential as a young distance runner. Her performance at the State Championships was particularly noteworthy given the age and experience of many of the high school athletes in the championship field.
The James Clemens boys were represented by seniors John Litavec and Luke Bogardus and sophomore Oliver Nigbor. Making his second state championship appearance, Litavec led the boys with a 45th-place finish in 16:45.6. Nigbor finished 81st in 17:47.8, while Bogardus, competing in his fourth state championship, placed 122nd in 19:01.2. The boys competed in a field of 170 runners.
James Clemens 2026 State Championship Results: Girls (175 competitors)
• Megan Angelucci, Senior: 14th, 19:06.5 (Personal Best, All-State)
• Emily Jones, Seventh Grade: 78th, 20:55.1 (Personal Best) Boys (170 competitors)
• John Litavec, Senior: 45th, 16:45.6
• Oliver Nigbor, Sophomore: 81st, 17:47.8
• Luke Bogardus, Senior: 122nd, 19:01.2 For Head Coach Cheryl M. Ross, the significance of the state championship extends beyond individual placements and personal records.
“Watching five of our athletes represent James Clemens at the State Meet and seeing one of our seniors earn All-State honors blessed my heart,” said Ross. “I was out there every day with all 44 of our athletes, and I watched them do things they once weren’t sure they could do. My hope is that every one of them leaves this season believing in themselves, the way I believe in them.”
Under the leadership of Ross, the cross country program, comprised of 44 student- athletes, has focused on helping athletes recognize their potential, develop confidence, and push beyond what they once believed possible. The performances of Angelucci and Jones reflect that approach, with both progressing from first-time cross country athletes to state championship competitors, and Angelucci ultimately earning All-State honors.
(James Clemens assistant coach Richard Ross, Jr. assisted in this article.)
