Van Wert runs at Centerville Invitational

VW independent sports/submitted information

The Van Wert High School boys varsity cross country team competed last Saturday at one of Ohio’s top meets as they raced at Centerville’s Saturday Night Lights.

The squad placed a respectable 11th out of 32 teams in the “Varsity A” race which featured not just many strong Division II teams from around the state, but also the “B” squads of some of the best Division I schools in Ohio.

Junior Cal Wolfrum once again led the charge for the Cougars, placing 11th out of 283 runners. Wolfrum also passed 39 other competitors from mile one to the finish, including 20 in the last mile.

Van Wert’s next three finishers came across the line within five seconds of one another. Sophomore Keaton Brown, junior Gage Chiles, and junior Anthony Borack placed 63rd, 72nd, and 74th, respectively. The trio passed 62, 22, and 49 other racers, respectively, from mile one to the finish. They also passed 27, 17, and 14 competitors each in the last mile.

Sophomore Charlie Pauquette was the team’s final scorer, placing 126th and catching 68 runners from mile one to finish, including nine in the last mile.

“I was really proud of how we raced,” said Coach Ryan Holliday. “This year we’ve been trying to improve our racing strategy of running together and finishing strong in the last half of the race, and this was the best we’ve done all season.”

Van Wert’s varsity boys and girls cross country squads will compete October 7 at another highly competitive meet in Worthington. The junior varsity teams will race October 5 at the Coldwater Invitational.