The Bellefontaine Chieftain Girls’ cross country team delivered a strong performance at the competitive Wapak Night Meet Invitational, securing a 6th place finish. Sophomore Grace Brown led the team with a notable 4th place finish, clocking in at 19:19. Senior Kailyn Newman also impressed, finishing 14th with a personal record time of 20:43. Coach Wilson praised the team’s performance, noting, “The team got out fast, maintained their composure, and it paid off with season-best times across the board. Grace and Kailyn are proving to be a very tough 1-2 punch that will be invaluable as the season progresses.” The Chieftains are set to compete next at the Troy Twilight Invitational on September 14th.
In individual results at the same meet, Hayden Maus led the boys’ team with a personal record of 16:11, finishing 1st. Jake Moreland followed in 2nd place with a personal record of 16:29. Coach Wilson commended the boys for their strategic racing, saying, “Hayden and Jake did a nice job sitting on Marysville runners throughout the race to surge at the end. Freshman Landon Gerwels continues to figure out this cross country thing, and it was a solid overall race out of the team.”
West Liberty-Salem Shines at Columbus Grove Invitational
The West Liberty-Salem Big Orange cross-country teams delivered outstanding performances at the Columbus Grove Invitational on Saturday. The girls’ team achieved a commendable 2nd place finish out of 16 teams in the gray division. Malia Miller led the way with a 2nd place finish in 19:25. Gwen McCullogh (6th, 20:00) and Isla Leichty (15th, 20:53) also contributed strong finishes. The team will look to build on this success as they prepare for the Troy Twilight Invitational in two weeks.
The boys’ teams also had a remarkable showing. The Varsity Gray team claimed first place with a dominant performance, averaging 16:24. Junior Caleb Larson won the race with a personal record of 15:55.8, moving into the 4th spot on the school’s all-time 5K list. Senior Asher Knox and junior Dylan King also set personal records, finishing 2nd and 3rd respectively. In the JV Open race, the Big Orange team took first place with an average time of 17:56. Quentin Rudolph led the way with a season-best time of 17:44.9.
Coach Wilson expressed pride in the team’s achievements, stating, “Bringing home two convincing titles in the same day is truly special. Caleb Larson’s win is an amazing achievement, and the team’s overall performance was exceptional. I’m really proud of this team and excited for what lies ahead this season.”
Both teams are gearing up for their next challenge at the Troy Twilight Invitational, where they aim to continue their strong performances.
