PREP ROUNDOUP: Rossville Invitational

Boys Meet

All six Panther runners finished in the top 20 as Western ran away with the team title with 47 points. Rossville (73), Tipton (83), Carroll (87) and Faith Christian (119) rounded out the top five.

Matt Grider capture overall top honors in 16:44. Riley Wod followed in fifth at 17:48, Jacob Bradshaw was ninth in 18:43, Austin Elliott took 12th in 19:01, Caleb Maddox was 14th in 19:09, and Mark Boss finished 19th in 19:43.

"We were just training through it," Western coach Gary Jewell said. "We have a bigger meet on Tuesday at Oak Hill, and we have some training still to do over the weekend. It was good to see guys post some good times. Matt took control of the race. The pace wasn't to his liking, so he ran away from the pack, which he has the ability to do. Austin ran one of his best races of the year. He picked off lots of people in the last half of the race."

Girls race

Western won the eight-team invite with 32 points, followed by the host Hornets (50), Carroll (51), Tipton (100) and Pioneer (108)

The Panthers placed all seven runners in the top 22, led by Emma Nixon, who won the race in 21:55. Erin Knepley finished fifth (21:55), Nicole Hampshire took sixth (22:03), Sophie Page was 10th (23:48), Sam Luginbuhl finished 17th (24:47), Jessica Love took 21st (25:43) and Olivia Nixon was 22nd (25:58).

"The girls had good times," Western coach Joni McCracken said. "We got to see some teams that we normally wouldn't see. The girls were very confident. They had to work for it, but they just ran their races and let the positions fall where they may. I think they were a little surprised with how they did, so I think it helped their confidence.

"Emma taking the top overall position will help her in the long run to see that she does belong in that upper pack of girls in bigger races. It was a very comfortable race for her."