VWMS runners do well at O-G meet

VWMS cross country information

The Van Wert Middle School cross country teams took advantage of near-perfect running conditions Saturday at the Ottawa-Glandorf Blue/Gold Cross Country Invitational. The boys captured championship honors out of 19 teams, while the girls finished a respectable third out of 14 teams. The two squads recorded 30 season-best times on the day.

Pacing the Cougar harriers was Dylan Lautzenheiser, who finished ninth overall in a time of 12:10, with Thane Cowan right behind him in 10th place (12:12). Jared Shaffer, 14th (12:27), Nathan Murphy, 16th (12:28), and Tyler Nygren, 22nd (12:32), contributed to the Cougars’ pack. Rounding out the top seven were Sam Easley in 24th (12:33) and Nick Gutierrez in 26th place (12:35).

Other Cougar runners included: Ryan Keber (31st), Cade Chiles (46th), Ben Scheidt (68th), Max Sealscott (71st), Stephen Hamblett (106th), Carter Eikenbary (112th), Korey Oechsle (135th), Brayden Cox (158th), and Noah Brubaker (159th).

On the girls’ side, seventh grader Cassidy Meyers again led the charge, finishing eighth in a time of 13:09. Julia Springer, another seventh grader, crossed the line next in 20th place, with a time of 13:43. Eighth-graders Natalie Riethman, 22nd (13:49); Larissa Laudick, 37th (14:21); and Morgan Bracken, 40th (14:24); rounded out the Cougar scorers.

Completing the top seven were Iliana Ramon, 41st (14:24), and Chloe Boroff, 57th (15:21).

Also running for the Cougars were Sammy Allmandinger (77th), Maggie Cripe (89th), Kylee Bagley (91st), Aimee Nicolai (110th), Olivia Profit (111th), Nykee Billingham (125th), Courtney Sanderson (126th), Valerie Barnhart (131st), Gabby VanHorne (134th), and Hannah Bartley (140th).