It was a busy Saturday for cross country programs across the area, with West Liberty-Salem, Bellefontaine, Indian Lake, Calvary Christian, and Benjamin Logan all competing at the Ohio Caverns Invitational, as well as the Cedarville Friendship Invitational.
Several teams posted top finishes, individual medals, and personal records (PRs) on the challenging Caverns course.
West Liberty-Salem Boys & Girls Big Orange
The West Liberty-Salem Boys XC team continued their dominance, winning the 53rd Annual Max Evans Ohio Caverns Invitational for the eighth straight year, edging out #8 Cincinnati CHCA by just two points.
The Big Orange also captured the Junior Varsity team title, sweeping both races.
Varsity Boys Results (146 runners):
- Asher Cole – 4th (15:58.2)
- Caleb Larson – 7th (16:19.0)
- Dylan King – 9th (16:25.5)
- Brayan Gullett – 12th (16:38.1)
- Garrett Wallen – 29th (17:57.4)
- Eric Hoover – 37th (18:15.3)
Junior Varsity Boys Highlights (70 runners):
- Gauge Lee – 1st, 18:42.6 (PR)
- Zac Carter – 2nd, 18:53.8
- Zeke Sidders – 3rd, 19:24.5 (PR)
- Landon McKenzie – 10th, 20:18.6 (PR)
The West Liberty-Salem girls also had an impressive performance, placing 1st out of 14 full teams.
Individual Results (165 finishers):
- Malia Miller – 2nd (19:32.8)
- Addi Wallen – 4th (20:07.1)
- Isla Leichty – 8th (20:34.4)
- Gwen McCullough – 9th (20:39.2)
- Elia Matthews – 17th (21:22.4)
- Charlee Albers – 18th (21:23.3)
- Ivy Matthews – 31st (22:11.9)
- Mia Dooley – 41st (22:51.2)
- Rachel Stanford – 54th (23:47.0)
- Emma Smith – 55th (23:49.8)
Next Up: Olentangy Berlin Bear Dash on Saturday, September 27th.
WLS Middle School Cross Country
MS Boys:
WLS boys won the meet with 30 points, led by race champion Milo Matthews (11:13 PR).
Top Finishers:
Zeke Lauck – 5th (11:34 PR)
Caizen Anders – 7th (11:44)
Chafer Matthews – 9th (11:50 PR)
Raylan Wulf – 12th (12:06 PR)
MS Girls:
Nika Matthews won the girls’ race with a 12:18 PR, helping WLS take 2nd place behind Beavercreek.
Top Finishers:
Elayna Hoover – 7th (12:53 PR)
Elin Leichty – 13th (13:19)
Iris Meister – 16th (13:38 PR)
Lilly Woodruff – 18th (13:41 PR)
Bellefontaine Chieftain Boys & Girls
The Bellefontaine Chieftain boys placed 3rd out of 21 teams, boosting their season record to 98–22.
Top Boys Individual Results (146 runners):
- Hayden Maus – 3rd, 15:51
- Jake Moreland – 13th, 16:50
- Oliver Moreland – 14th, 17:08
- Will Myers – 36th, 18:14
- Andrew Myers – 42nd, 18:22
- Brenden Murray – 51st, 18:37
- Landon Gerwels – 63rd, 18:51
JV Boys Highlights (70 runners):
- Nick Herrera Diaz – 15th, 20:30
- Tristyn Wilson – 43rd, 22:59
- Brayten Swisher – 55th, 24:18
Bellefontaine Girls (Cedarville D1-2 Gold Race):
The Lady Chiefs finished 5th, with Grace Brown earning runner-up honors in 19:05.
Other scorers included Cece Reier (51st), Cameo Greene (52nd), Hannah Wilson (53rd), Blakely Vollrath (66th), Sloan Stolly (67th), and Sophia Marker (102nd).
Bellefontaine Middle School
The BMS girls were down several runners to injury and did not post a team score, but Kylie Lowe medaled with a 10th-place PR of 13:06.
Other finishers: Alivia Owens (59th, 16:23), Bentley Drake (86th, 17:44), and Myra Varner (87th, 17:45, PR).
In the youth mile, Miley McKirahan finished in 7:01 on the hilly course.
The BMS boys had a banner day, finishing 3rd out of 21 teams in a field of 142 runners.
Medalists included Jackson Maus (8th, 11:50), Sennett Stolly (11th, 12:05, PR), Camden Vollrath (20th, 12:37), and Bennett Lang (29th, 13:09).
Other contributors were Lucas Lin (53rd, 13:53), Anthony Carter (59th, 14:06, PR), Owen Smith (70th, 14:42, PR), and Jayden Lambert (88th, 15:09, PR).
Both BMS teams will return to competition at the North Union Invitational next Saturday.
Benjamin Logan
Varsity Girls:
The Lady Raiders placed 11th out of 25 schools at the Ohio Caverns Invitational.
Top Scorers:
- Gwen Smith – 48th (23:12, PR)
- Lucy Wenger – 49th (23:20)
- Mollie Siefring – 52nd (23:26)
- Lauren Kennedy – 58th (23:58, PR)
- Peyton Smith – 70th (24:43)
- Lottie Bodin – 72nd (24:47)
- Bonnie Brunson – 78th (25:00)
Other finishers: Elliott Butler (84th), Illiana Vermillion (102nd, PR), Montana Coleman (117th), Natalie Chapman (163rd).
Next Up: Indian Lake Invitational, Saturday, September 27th.
Varsity Boys:
Benjamin Logan’s boys’ team competed in a highly competitive field at the Ohio Caverns Invitational.
Top Finishers (Out of 146 runners):
Tyler Shoopman (Senior) – 76th, 19:17
Greyson Butler (Sophomore) – 80th, 19:29
Oliver Morse (Junior) – 81st, 19:31
Maxwell Troth (Junior) – 89th, 19:46
Gabe Elsasser (Junior) – 130th, 23:01
Middle School Girls (6th place out of 22):
Pippa Zvansky – 9th (13:05)
Shelby Siefring – 37th (14:55)
Middle School Boys (10th out of 21):
Zayden Wilson – 13:48
John Tingley – 14:49
Six Raiders recorded either season or career PRs on the challenging Caverns course.
Next Meet: Saturday, September 27, at the Indian Lake Invitational.
Indian Lake Lakers
The girls finished 5th out of 15 teams at the Cedarville Invitational.
Top finishers were Laura Metzger (23rd), Reagan Rash (28th), Evie Wagner (37th), Alicia Brielmaier (50th), and Kayleigh Taylor (82nd).
For the boys, Nathan White led the team in 54th place, followed by Will Faler (95th), Cason Lacher (118th), and Titus Kelly (165th).
Middle School (ILMS):
Girls (115 runners):
Abby Bihn – 7th (13:24)
Caroline Jones – 27th (15:10)
Ella Wu – 96th (21:30)
Tenzlee Pyles – 112th (25:53)
Boys (146 runners, 7th place team):
Hayden Kuhlke – 4th (12:08 PR)
Logan Kuhlke – 17th (12:54)
Hayden Thompson – 50th (13:52 PR)
Dalton Young – 67th (14:23)
Brantley Bowers – 76th (14:42)
Finn Ammons – 146th (30:13)
The Lakers will host their home invitational next Saturday at ILHS.
Calvary Christian Spartans
HS Boys:
Adly Knox – 17th
John Gaertner – 18th
Kaden Simpson – 25th
Aydan Knox – 30th
HS Girls:
Avery McCarty – 60th
Alyssa Wiley – 127th
Abriley Krabill – 132nd
MS Girls:
Nevaeh Davis – 4th (12:35 PR)
Marissa Ramirez – 36th
Olivia Wolf – 62nd
MS Boys:
Nate Garrison finished his first race in 141st place.
Youth Races:
Nessa Davis – 1st in fun run
Neriah Davis – 9th
Riverside Pirates
The Riverside Cross Country team competed at the Ohio Caverns Invitational on Saturday and also celebrated Senior Maggie Beaty on Senior Day.
Girls Results:
Kristen Thompson – 32:50.4
Maggie Beaty – 33:00.7 🎉 (Senior Day Honoree)
Boys Results:
Aidan Fout – 21:22.3 (Season Best)
Brenden Latimer – 28:22.5
