PREP ROUNDOUP: Rossville Invitational

Boys Meet

Western won the event with 29 points in a field of six complete teams. Tipton was second (59), Rossville third (65) and Carroll fourth (98).

Panther pace-setter Matt Crider cruised to a first-place finish in 16:21. Also for Western, Riley Carter took fourth (17:19), Auston Davenport was fifth (17:48), Caleb Maddox was seventh (17:58) and Mark Boss was 12th (18:55).

"I think we ran better [Thursday] than we did on Saturday," Western coach Gary Jewell said. "[Grider] actually spent the first kilometer pacing Auston and Riley Carter and Caleb Maddox before picking it up. Riley PRed by 30 seconds, Auston is right at his PR. Caleb is right where he ran in the sectional last year. In a couple weeks, we're going to hopefully have a couple guys under 17 and hopefully a couple more under 18."

Nate Gonzalez scored a third-place finish to lead Tipton (17:00). Jake Benefiel was sixth (17:54).
Cameron Conn led Carroll in 10th (18:23).

Girls race

Western posted a score of 39 to win Rossville's Landes Invitational. Carroll was second with 50 and Tipton (68) and Rossville (69) rounded out the complete teams.

Nicole Hampshire won the race in 20:45 to lead Western. The Panthers' other top runners were Sam Luginbuhl (seventh place, 23:32), Jayma Claxton (13th, 24:04), Taylor Nunan (15th, 24:12) and Cora Johnson (17th, 24:15).

"Nicole ran an excellent race. I couldn't have asked for anything different," Western coach Joni McCracken said. "She had some good competition, but she ran with great determination and focus. She ran a smart race."