Cougar boys win OHSAA race; girls 9th

Van Wert cross country information

HEBRON — The Van Wert Cougar cross country teams kicked off their 2012 campaign in the same spot that they left off in 2011, at National Trail Raceway in Hebron. The site played host to the first ever OHSAA Pre-Season High School Invitational.

As it did in 2011, the Van Wert boys’ cross country team got its year started off with a win in the 26-team Boys 5K Section C race.  The race consisted of Division II and large Division III schools. The team was lead by the trio of senior Jared Fleming (first), senior Kase Schalois (third), and sophomore Connor Holliday (fourth).  Rounding out the top seven for the Cougars were sophomore Jordan Butler (25th), sophomore Reed Baxter (28th), sophomore Connor Shaffer (29th), and sophomore Nick Keber (37th).

In girls’ action, Van Wert competed in the Section B 5K, which boasted last year’s Division II state champion Akron St. Vincent St. Mary’s, along with several other state qualifying teams. The girls finished a respectable ninth of 27 in the highly competitive field.

Leading the way for the Lady Cougars was junior Andi Foster (29th). Rounding out the top five scorers for the varsity squad was freshman Chloee Gamble (52nd), sophomore Schelissa Williams (55th), senior Jacey Eikenbary (57th), and freshman Meghan Barnhart (99th). Freshman Alisha Danylchcuk (112th) and senior Kelsey Wagner (113th) completed the varsity squad.

“The pre-season meet gave the team a great opportunity to run on the state course and get them familiar with the venue for when in counts in November,” said Van Wert Coach Brendon Moody. “It worked out that we were able to finish off our cross country camp in Hocking Hills with this race on our way home, so it was a good way to end a solid week of training and get the competitive juices flowing.”

The Cougar squads will be back in action on Friday night at the Cincinnati Moeller Prime Time Invitational hosted at Paramount’s Kings Island Golf Course in Mason.

The Van Wert High School cross country teams at National Trail Raceway in Hebron on Saturday. (photo submitted)