The Mount Gilead cross country teams continued to excel in invitationals, winning both the boys’ and girls’ Division III races at Saturday’s Galion Invitational.
The girls’ team finished with 37 points to easily outdistance second-place Fredericktown, who finished with 85. MG also boasted the race winner, as Baylee Hack took first place in 18:49.9 — over 40 seconds in front of the second-place runner.
The Indians finished with five girls in the top 15, as Emily Hanft took fifth in 19:52.6, Allison Johnson was sixth in 19:54.2, Olivia Millisor ran 11th in 20:21.1 and Micah James placed 14th in 20:37.2. Madison Fitzpatrick claimed 39th in 22:25.8 and Selia Shipman finished 65th in 23:17.7 to round out the Mount Gilead varsity in the 166 runner and 25-team race.
In the boys’ race, Mount Gilead took the team title with 67 points, finishing 30 better than second-place Colonel Crawford. Liam Dennis was runner-up in the race, finishing in 16:30.6. Casey White took sixth in 16:47.9, while Brett Shipman was 13th in 17:23 and Kyle White took 18th in 17:31.3.
Ethan Supplee placed 28th in 17:51.4 and Brandon Stevens ran 34th in 17:59.6. Also, Trevor Ball claimed 66th in 18:56.4. There were 176 runners from 26 teams in the race.
Northmor’s girls finished third in the Division III race. Jessica Duryea took 10th in 20:18.7, while Samantha Peters ran 29th in 21:49.5 and Sabrina Kelley took 38th in 22:21.5. Julianna Ditullio ran 44th in 22:35.7, while Julia Kanagy took 53rd in 22:49.7, Brooke Bennett was 72nd in 23:26 and Olivia Goodson placed 128th in 26:11.6.
Northmor’s boys claimed ninth in their Division III event, with Gavvin Keen placing 15th in 17:28.4 to lead the team. Austin Amens ran 30th in 17:55.2, while B.J. White took 56th in 18:40.1 and Kaleb Hart placed 72nd in 19:04. Chase Hoover took 75th in 19:06.7, Kooper Keen was 105th in 19:59 and Manny Heilman ran 127th in 20:39.5.
Also competing in the Division III boys’ race was Cardington, who finished 17th. Mason White was 25th in 17:49, while Racine Hallabrin placed 87th in 19:34 and Spencer Benson took 109th in 20:11. Quinn Maceyko took 111th in 20:13, while Kaleb Meade took 128th in 20:49. Also, Devin Gheen took 167th in 24:32 and Sam West ran 171st in 26:12.
In the Division II varsity races, Highland’s boys finished 18th with 498 points, while the girls took 19th with 490.
The boys were led by Dalton Lee, who took 59th in 17:51.7, while Collin Kipp was 66th in 18:00.6 and Branton Howard finished 69th in 18:05.9. Tucker Tague ran 148th in 19:49.1 and Zach Wetzel placed 156th in 20:05.5, Bruce Jordan claimed 160th in 20:19.2 and Christian Miller ran 165th in 20:37.6.
Pacing the girls was Sophia Thompson, who claimed 12th in 20:04.1. Mia White ran 105th in 23:56.5, while Elizabeth Jensen claimed 127th in 25:08.9 and Sarah Cooley placed 129th in 25:33.3. Heather Ross was 136th in 26:14.2, Morgan Wilhelm placed 136th in 26:14.2 and Madison Cecil ran 143rd in 27:29.
