The Wawasee middle school boys cross country team rolled to a team title at the North East Lakes Middle School Conference cross country championships Saturday. In the front row, from left to right are Ethan Carey and Jace Alexander. In the back row are coach Gene Yoder, Bennett Hoffert, Braxton Alexander, Luke Griner, Spencer Hare and coach Jay Smith. (Photos provided)

SYRACUSE – Saturday was a big day for the Wawasee middle school boys and girls cross country teams. Wawasee claimed three of the four team titles, winning the boys and girls varsity races as well as the boys reserve race.

The Wawasee middle school girls cross country team won a team title at the NELMSC cross country championships. From left to right are McKenzie Smith, Valeria Pizana, Carmen Yoder, Lila Gregory, Caitlin Wortinger and Katie Holmes.

Wawasee’s boys varsity team ran away with the title, totaling just 32 points to pull away from Lakeview’s 69 points. Luke Griner led Wawasee with a championship run of 10:11. Braxton Alexander, Bennett Hoffert and Spencer Hare all landed in the top seven with Jace Alexander taking 13th to round out the scoring.

Wawasee’s girls varsity team narrowly beat a strong Indian Springs team, 30-34, for the team title. Carmen Yoder led Wawasee with a third-place finish, with McKenzie Smith, Valeria Pizana, Lila Gregory and Katie Holmes all landing in the top nine places.

The reserve boys from Wawasee rolled to the title with just 17 points to outdistance Edgewood’s 49 points. Isiah Faurote was the individual champion at 11:34, followed by runner-up Benson Yoder, Cameron Rager and Even Coblentz all in a row. Jared Pritchard was seventh to round out Wawasee’s victory.

The reserve girls from Wawasee were runner-up to Indian Springs. Autumn Yoder and Genevieve Cierpilowski were eighth and ninth to lead Wawasee.

The Wawasee middle school boys JV cross country team won the team title at the NELMSC cross country championships. From left to right are coach Gene Yoder, Jared Pritchard, Benson Yoder, Cameron Rager, Isiah Faurote, Evan Coblentz and coach Jay Smith.