FORT SMITH, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — The Fort Smith Southside Mavericks are starting cross country season off strong by placing second in both regional and national meets and are setting their sights on the state championship.

At this year's annual Southern Stampede at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Southside's Varsity Boys Cross Country team took second place as a team.

Southside was one of 35 high school teams to compete from across Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. The same team followed up this achievement with a second place win at On Twilight at PR'ville, a national meet where 188 schools from across 19 states competed.

"It kind of humbles us knowing that we came from such a long way. We weren't the guys we were two or three years ago," Braden Palmer, a sen

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