Knight, Lancer runners open new season

VW independent sports

Knights run at Celina Rotary Invitational

CELINA — Crestview finished fifth on the girls side and sixth on the boys side at the season-opening Celina Rotary Invitational on Saturday.

Anna Gardner led the Lady Knights with an 11th place finish and a time of 23:14. She was followed by Kenzie Harting (22nd, 24:43), Kate Sawmiller (34th, 26:45), Alexis Flagg (41st, 28:05), Ava Motycka (45th, 29:05), and Chloe Miller (51st, 30:52).

On the boys’ side, Andy Heth led the Knights by placing 14th with a time of 18:38. Drayden Hoffman was 23rd (19:06), followed by Jake Heth (25th, 19:20), Kale Vining (33rd, 19:55), Logan Foudy (40th, 20:28), Lincoln Smith (41st, 20:31), and Cole Miller (51st, 21:26).

” We are a very young team,” head coach Randy Grandstaff said. “The boys ran really well and for a lot of them this was their first high school meet. We were only 43 points from third place. These boys will get faster with every race and I am looking forward watching them improve throughout the season.”

Parkway won the girls title (33 points), followed by Coldwater (67), Columbus Grove (72), Marion Local (76) and Crestview (112).

Columbus Grove won the boys’ title (45 points), followed by Marion Local (60), Ansonia (81), Parkway (114), Coldwater (116), Crestview (124) and Wayne Trace (169).

Lancers run at Darin Goodman Night Invite

EASTWOOD — Against teams in higher divisions, Lincolnview placed fourth at the Darin Goodman Night Invite at Eastwood High School on Saturday.

Brynleigh Moody paced the Lady Lancers with a seventh place finish (20:02.73), followed by Ava Milligan (10th, 20:31.28), Keira Breese (28th, 21:50.27), Harper Reindel (36th, 22:20.15) and Lillian Mount (22:47.18). As a team, Lincolnview finished with 119 points.

Out of 12 teams, Huron won the girls’ title (70 points) and Notre Dame Academy was the runner-up with 78 points, followed by Eastwood (110).

Conner Baldauf led the Lancers with a ninth place finish and a time of 16:52.10, followed by Evan Johns (11th, 17:00.36), Kreston Tow (18th, 17:22.43), Maddox Norton (31st, 17:53.43) and Trace Klausing (47th, 18:26.26). The Lancers finished with 113 team points.

Bowling Green won the team title (56 points), followed by St. Francis (60), and Anthony Wayne (64).

Lincolnview will compete at the Wayne Trace Invitational on Tuesday and the Columbus Grove Invitational on Saturday.