GEORGETOWN, Tx.— The streak may have ended, but the legacy remains. After four consecutive years as the conference champions, the Berry Vikings' reign came to an end on Saturday afternoon in Georgetown, Texas as they placed third at the Southern Athletic Association (SAA) Cross Country Championships. Their third place finish marks a strong team performance to end the 2025 regular season, reflecting the grit and consistency that built their dynasty.

New to the SAA, the Trinity Tigers took the highest spot on the podium with a low score of 48. The Vikings were locked in a tight race with the Centre Colonels for runner-up honors, but Centre pulled ahead with a 75-point finish to Berry's 77.

Wearing fresh threads, Berry's Keenan Smith and T Harris achieved First Team All-SAA honors. Smith delivered a breakout performance for the Vikings, placing third in 25:17.4. As a freshman, he's set to be a driving force in Berry's future success.

Harris was merely one tenth of a second away from fourth place, claiming fifth with a time of 25:38.3 to claim the final first team gold medal.

Captain Troy Blackwood earned All-SAA Honorable Mention honors, claiming 13th place (26:07.2). Sophomore Ciaran Greer was Berry's fourth runner across the line, finishing 29th overall in 26:39.6 under the dry Texas sun. Owen Gagnon was not far behind, rounding out Berry's top scoring five in 32nd with a time of 26:43.5.

Keenan Smith's remarkable efforts earned him SAA Rookie of the Year honors, while Blackwood garnered SAA All-Sportsmanship Team nod for his nonstop competitiveness and support of his teammates.

While the Vikings look for an extra seat on the plane to safely secure their third place trophy, they will continue training for the NCAA South Region Championship in Salem, Virginia on November 15th.