Boys Meet

Oak Hill (36) edged Western (40) for the top spot in the 11-team field.

“We ran pretty well,” Western coach Gary Jewell said, noting the Panthers had to go without No. 1 runner Austin Young, who has the flu. “We ran short-handed and we very nearly pulled it out. Oak Hill’s third runner did not compete, but we were looking at where he would have been and we think we would of had a good shot at winning the meet if we had our No. 1 guy there. As it is, we were still pretty close.”

Third-place finisher Chris Love (17:23) led Western. Kody Harmon (sixth place, 18:01); John Capps (ninth, 18:09); Christopher Nunan (12th, 18:19); and Kyle Starich (18th, 18:40) rounded out Western’s top five.

Oak Hill’s Cameron Balser covered the course in 16:15 to win the race.

Peru (131) finished fourth, Tipton (209) came in eighth, Tri-Central (225) took 10th and Eastern had an incomplete team.

Shannon Garretson led Peru with a 13th-place finish (18:26). Jordan Garretson (25th, 19:02) and Nick Lipari (26th, 19:15) had the Bengals’ next-best times.

“I am happy with what we did,” Peru coach Gary Downing said.

Ryan Horner was tops for Eastern with a second-place finish in 17:23.

“Horner did a great job,” Eastern coach Brandon Minks said. “He had a real challenge with Western’s Chris Love. Horner was on Love’s heels, and they were passing each other. Horner finally nipped Love at the finish line for second place, but they both had 17:23 times.”

Girls race

Eastern took the top two spots en route to a second-place finish in the 12-team invitational. Bethany Neeley was the top finisher (20:37) followed by twin sister Brittany in second (20:48).

“I was very pleased with Bethany and Brittany,” Eastern coach Brandon Minks said. “It was really good for them to work together. They were behind Oak Hill’s Jenna Norris in second and third place, but Norris fell. Overall, it was very good. We need to tighten up on our pack running though.”

Also for Eastern Sarah Wagner was 16th in 22:53, Emily Wilcox was 22nd in 23:23 and Lindsey Reprogle was 31st in 24:13.

Jay County was first with a score of 57, Eastern was second (70), Eastbrook was third (72), Western was fourth (87), Tipton was seventh (185), Peru was ninth (241) and Tri-Central was incomplete.

Corianne Myer led Western in 11th place (22:17), Krissy Durr was 13th (22:45), Kelsey Durr was 18th (22:59), Kayla Gaskins was 19th (23:06) and Bre Nicholas was 27th (23:39).

“I thought all of them ran a smart race,” Western coach Bo Britton said. “Things were really tight at the start and the girls just kept moving up the whole race. I was just happy with the way they raced.”

Eroica Stackhouse led Tipton in fifth place (21:48). Taylour Kintner was 14th to lead Peru (22:49). Addy Tackacs led TC in 20th (23:12).