XC: Cougar, Knight boys fare well

VW independent sports

Van Wert boys win title at Blue & Gold Invitational

OTTAWA — Van Wert top five runners all finished in the top 18 and the Cougars were able to capture the boys’ title at the Ottawa-Glandorf Blue & Gold Invitational at Memorial Park on Saturday.

Van Wert finished with 49 points to easily outpace runner-up Bryan, who finished with 74 points in a field of 21 teams.

As has been the case on more than one occasion, Van Wert’s Owen Scott and Ottawa-Glandorf’s Ty Rosengarten competed for the individual title, with Rosengarten earning the accomplishment with a time of 15:43.90, while Scott finished the course in 15:49.95, which gave him a second place finish.

Van Wert’s Drew Laudick finished fourth (16:43.37), followed by Quintin Parrish (11^th, 17:13.02), Noah Spath (14^th, 17:32) and Johan Gemmer (18^th, 17:36.13).

“The boys’ team had a very solid race despite some illness and minor injuries among our top seven runners,” Van Wert head coach Kimberly Laudick said. “Our times were not the best but we did put five guys in the top 20 runners which was good enough to get the win. We will continue to focus on health leading up to tournament time and we’ll be ready to compete stronger and faster.”

Van Wert finished sixth out of 22 teams on the girls’ side. The Cougars (202 points) were paced by Symphony Schuerman, who finished seventh overall (19:43.37), followed by Noelle Byrum (35^th, 21:43.62), Lexi Deitemeyer (39^th, 22:01.51), Lizzie Spath (64^th, 23:49.38) and Harmony Schuerman (71^st, 34:00.63).

Napoleon won the team title with 79 points and Ottawa-Glandorf was the runner-up (87). Ottawa-Glandorf’s Anna Buddelmeyer was the individual champion with a time of 18:31.56.

Van Wert will compete at the OhioHealth Cross Country Invitational on Saturday.

Crestview competes at Minster Invitational

MINSTER — Crestview finished as the runner-up on the boys’ side at Saturday’s Minster Classic Invitational at Four Seasons Park.

The Knights, ranked No. 12 in the latest OATCCC poll, were paced by Andy Heath, who finished the 5K course in 17:12.8. Lincoln Smith also recorded a top-10 finish by placing ninth with a time of 17:26.6, followed by Derek Young (18^th, 18:13.4), Payton Scott (20^th, 18:20 and Luke Sawmiller (22^nd, 18:20.8). 

“We didn’t run our fastest race but we did run one of our best races of the year,” Crestview head coach Randy Grandstaff said. “It was good to see the boys execute a good race plan and finish ahead of Minster. The remaining part of our schedule does not get any easier and we need to stay focused on each race and not look ahead at all.”

Tony Moorman of Versailles was the individual champion (16.11.6), and his team, the Tigers (No. 11, Division II, won the team title with 26 points. Crestview finished with 73 points, while Minster (No. 7) finished third with 80 points.

On the girls’ side, Crestview finished seventh. The Knights were led by Anna Gardner (18^th, 22:35), followed by Kenzie Harting (33^rd, 24:36), Ava Motycka (48^th, 26:53), Alexis Flagg (59^th, 28:16), and Taylor Kittle (65^th,  29:19).

Minster’s Maria Niekamp won the invididual title (20:10.4), while Brezlynn Rohr of Delphos St. John’s was the runner-up with a time of 20:37.4 Minster also won the team title (40 points), while Versailles was the runner-up (51). Crestview finished with 174 points.

The Knights will compete at the OhioHealth Cross Country Invitational on Saturday.