CC runners compete in Seneca County

VW independent sports

TIFFIN — Cross country runners from Van Wert, Lincolnview and Crestview all competed in Seneca County, but at two different meets on Saturday, with the Cougars and Lancers running at the Tiffin Cross Country Carnival and the Knights competing under the lights at the Seneca East Stars, Stripes, and Lights Invitational in nearby Attica.

Tiffin Cross Country Carnival

Girls

The Van Wert girls finished second out of 18 teams and the Lincolnview girls placed fifth at the Tiffin Cross Country Carnival, held at Hedges Boyer Park on Saturday.

Symphony Schuerman finished fourth in the race with a time of 19:37.  Freshmen Ruby Dicke (16^th, 20:57.3), Noelle Byrum (18^th, 21:05.1), Jasleen Sharma (26^th, 21:32.5) and Faith Stoller (38^th, 22:11.3) rounded out the top 5 for the Cougars.  

Lincolnview was paced by Bryleigh Moody, who placed eighth overall with a time of 20:04.2. She was followed by Keira Breese (24^th, 21:23.4), Harper Reindel (35^th, 22:03.3), Kendall Hoffman (36^th, 22:05.3) and Kassidy Hammons (37^th, 22:08.4).

Ottawa Hills won the team title (28 points), followed Van Wert (95), Northmor (109), Columbus Grove (127) and Lincolnview (131).

Boys

Van Wert finished fourth in Division III and Lincolnview was seventh out of 19 teams.

Harrison Sloan, Johan Gemmer, Alex Bauer, Owen Bates and Isaak Castillo were the top five boys. Sloan was Van Wert’s first finisher (22^nd, 17:44), followed by Gemmer (25^th, 17:54.4), Bauer (28^th, 17:59.8), Bates (33^rd, 18:21.7) and Castillo (38^th, 18:27.3).

The Lancers were led by Zander Coil (26^th, 17:55.5), Max Hammons (29^th, 18:00), Noah Peters (35^th, 18:24), Aaron Sawyer (26^th, 18:24.2) and Wyatt Polley (59^th, 18:58.1).

Columbus Grove won the team title by a wide margin (35 points), followed by Ottawa Hills (129), Fisher Catholic (138) and Van Wert (141). Lincolnview had 179 team points.

Of note – Van Wert eighth grader Ollie Scott won the middle school individual title, finishing first with a time of 10:28.7, 22 seconds ahead of the next runner.

Seneca East Stars, Stripes, and Lights Invitational

Boys

ATTICA — The Knights secured second place out of 25 teams, with only the Division III No. 4 Mount Gilead finishing ahead of them at the Seneca East Stars, Stripes and Lights Invitational.

Lincoln Smith was the first to cross the finish line for the Knights, finishing fifth with a time of 16:11, followed closely by Derek Young (ninth, 16:13), Hudson Perrott (12^th,16:34), Kale Vining (13^th, 16:37), Andy Heth (29^th, (17:09), Ian Owens (35^th, 17:24), and Drayden Hoffman (44^th, 17:48).

“The team continued to lower their average time to 16:33,” head coach Randy Grandstaff said. “Notably, nine out of the 18 boys achieved personal records. This week has been challenging, with three races against state-ranked teams.”

Girls

The Lady Knights finished ninth out of 19 teams. Emily Heth led the team with a time of 20:13, finishing in eigth place. She was followed by Anna Gardner (14^th place, 20:57), Kenzie Harting (43^rd, 22:34), Ava Motycka (105^th, 25:29), Marlee Temple in (144^th, 27:45), Chloe Miller (170^th, 32:57), and Emiley Paseka (171^st, 34:17).

Three girls achieved personal records and with her performance, freshman Emily Heth recorded the eighth fastest time in school history for the Lady Knights,” Grandstaff said. “The girls ran very well, lowering their team’s average and continuing to improve.”

The team will compete at the Grandstand Invitational on Tuesday and Minster on Saturday.