Bellefontaine cross country teams turned in a strong night of racing Saturday at the Wapakoneta Night Meet, with the high school boys winning the team championship, Grace Brown claiming the girls’ individual title, and both middle school teams earning top-seven finishes.
BELLEFONTAINE
High School Boys – Wapakoneta Night Meet
The Bellefontaine boys cross country team won the Wapakoneta Night Meet, edging No. 13-ranked Division II Defiance, 87-94.
Lehman finished third with 100 points, followed by Lima Shawnee with 116 and Harding with 143.
Bellefontaine had 13 of its 16 runners record either a personal or season best.
Oliver Grandstaff led the Chiefs with a second-place finish in 16:31, setting a personal record.
Jake Moreland finished 18th in 17:40, followed by Will Myers in 22nd at 17:44. Jackson Maus placed 25th in 18:00 with a PR, while Brenden Murray finished 26th in 18:04.
Andrew Myers was 31st in 18:15, Aiden Fout placed 36th in 18:31, and Landon Gerwels finished 47th in 18:49.
Lucas Linn placed 86th in 20:25, while Bennett Lang finished 119th in 22:01 with a PR. Charlie Moreland was 121st in 22:02 with a PR, followed by Andy McDonald in 125th at 22:17 with a PR.
Tristyn Wilson placed 143rd in 23:30, Marek Frazier was 149th in 24:03 with a PR, Brayten Swisher finished 151st in 24:32, and Dalton Frazier placed 174th in 28:23 with a PR.
A total of 176 runners competed in the race.
“The team did a nice job of moving up after the mile mark as we moved from 4th to 1st. Oliver had a career best. Jackson asserts himself as a freshman. It was nice knocking off a perennial top team that’s claimed a state title.”
— Head Coach Ben Davis
High School Girls
Grace Brown captured the individual championship at Saturday night’s Wapakoneta Night Meet, earning her third Wapak championship in her four-year high school career.
The Bellefontaine girls finished third out of 14 teams.
Brown won the race in 19:29, while Cece Reier placed 21st in 22:27 and Hannah Wilson finished 30th in 23:09.
Camila Cely-Hernandez placed 31st in 23:12 with a PR, followed by Cameo Greene in 34th at 23:26 with a season best. Chloe O’Chocke finished 35th in 23:30 with a PR, while Leila Hammond was 36th in 23:32 with a season best.
Sloan Stolly placed 38th in 23:36, and Alivia Owens finished 102nd in 27:30 with a PR.
“There were some good things to take away from the night, but we know we’re capable of more. Grace continues to put together an impressive high school career, and six girls ran either a personal or season best times. We also saw our pack come together, and that will be key to our success this season.”
— Head Coach Stacey Wilson
Middle School Boys
The Bellefontaine Middle School boys finished seventh out of 18 teams at the Wapakoneta Night Meet.
Camden Vollrath continued his strong start to the season by placing sixth out of 113 runners in 12:06, setting a personal best.
Daniel Campbell finished 33rd in 13:30 with a PR, while Owen Smith placed 44th in 14:01 with a season best.
Anthony Carter finished 53rd in 14:09, Jayden Lambert was 93rd in 16:38, Malek Alhaj placed 102nd in 17:10 with a season best, and Gunnar Lowe finished 113th in 29:55.
The Chiefs will compete Wednesday at the Logan County Meet at Southview Park, with races beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Middle School Girls
The Bellefontaine Middle School girls won the team championship, finishing first out of 16 teams.
The Chiefs had four medalists in the field of 82 runners. Kylie Lowe placed fourth in 13:20, Emma Smith was fifth in 13:48 with a season best, Miley McKirahan finished eighth in 14:09 with a PR, and Willow Rupp placed 14th in 14:34 with a PR.
Danica Engle finished 29th in 16:23 with a PR, followed by Gemma Rutan in 43rd at 17:10.
Emily Escue placed 54th in 17:42 with a PR, while Rosie Moreland finished 82nd in 25:13 with a PR.
The Chiefs will return to action Wednesday night at Southview Park for the Logan County Meet.
Youth Mile
Bellefontaine sixth grader Emmett Lowe won the Wapakoneta Night Meet youth mile, finishing first in a personal-best time of 6:11.
Chieftain third grader Ollie Smith finished in 8:27, while first grader Carter Lowe completed the mile in 8:29.
The Bellefontaine youth runners will join the middle and high school teams at the Logan County Meet Wednesday at Southview Park.
