Jaelyn Webb finishes up a race for Manchester last fall. Webb placed eighth individually as the Lady Squires won the Tippecanoe Valley Invitational Saturday. (File photo by James Costello)

TIPPECANOE VALLEY INVITATIONAL
Manchester’s girls won the Tippecanoe Valley Cross Country Invitational Saturday, while host Valley finished seventh, Whitko was eighth, and Triton recorded an official no score with just three runners at the big meet.

The Lady Squires tallied a score of 42 ahead of Columbia City’s 55 for the team title.

Torina Runkel placed fifth overall in a time of 21:00.2, Halle Briner and Jaelyn Webb were seventh and eighth, respectively in 21:02.9 and 21:06.4, Kambree Cashdollar was 10th in 21:17.9, and Katie Barker was 12th in 21:47.1 for Manchester.

Leading Valley was Valeria Jimenez in 27th place with a 23:02 stop, while Haley Hoover was 36th in 23:56, Ava Craig finished 43rd in 25:00.3, Lorena Santiago was 44th in 25:19.7, and Lauren Sponseller finished 51st in 26:40.2 as the Lady Vikings put up a 201 score ahead of Whitko’s 245.

Whitko was paced by Lily Spurlin in 25th place with a time of 22:56.4. Elizabeth Foutz was 50th in 26:36.3, Amaya Norman was 53rd in 26:56.6, and Laura Jackson and Zoe Foutz were 58th and 59th, respectively, in 33 minutes flat and 36:33.7.

For Triton’s girls, Briana Wilhite clocked 24:22.5, Makenna May finished in 24:40.2, and Annie Hill crossed the finish line in 26:00.7.

West Noble won the boys’ meet with a score of 21, while Manchester’s boys finished fourth with 119 points, Triton was seventh with a 195 score, Valley was eighth with 217 points, and Whitko was 12th with a 299.

Leading the Manchester boys was Carter Bedke in 18:08.5 for 13th place. Wilson Nettleton finished in 18:25.3 for 17th place, Ethan Davis was 21st in 18:39.8, Cade Jones was 32nd in 19:12.3, and Reece Adamiec was 36th in 19:37.2.

The Trojans were paced by Russell Reichard’s 28th place finish in 18:58.5. Brandon Kitch was 30th in 19:10.3, Josiah Page was 41st in 19:45.6, Jesse Page was 43rd in 19:48.7, and Breighton Treesh completed the team score in 53rd place with a 20:53.1 stop.

Matthew Howes placed 14th for Valley’s boys in 18:11.4. Justin Peconga was 40th, and Mitchell Smith was 42nd in respective times of 19:44.8 and 19:48.2. Chase Miller was 58th in 21:15.5, and Jace Holloway was 63rd in 21:42.8.

Whitko was led by Zack Freel in 34th in a time of 19:27.7. Jacob Porter finished 51st in 20:48.9, Jayden Stratton was 56th in 21:03.3, Gavyn Alexander was 78th in 24:06.6, and Ethan Joseph was 80th in 26:17.4.

Lakeland Christian Academy had two entrants in the boys’ meet, as David Plastow finished the course in 19:59.8, and Samuel Turner clocked 21:55.8.

While Manchester won the girls high school meet, the Lady Squires finished second behind Rochester in the junior high girls meet with a score of 52 to Rochester’s 39. Valley placed fourth with a 111 score, Whitko was sixth with 176 points, and Triton was eighth with a 214.

Josie Briner clocked 12:35.2 for individual runner-up honors to pace the junior high Lady Squires. Jaci Naragon was eighth in 13:13.6, and Ayla Cashdollar, Olivia Dale and Jordyn Gephart finished in order in 13th through 15th place with respective times of 13:43.5, 13:44.4 and 13:48.9.

Chesnee Miller won the race for Valley in 12:29.1. Ella Myers was 19th in 14:24.6, Corinna Stiles was 28th in 14:38.3, and Lorna Apt and Bailey Bussard were 31st and 32nd, respectively, in 14:43.2 and 14:48.1 for Valley.

Addi Baxter paced Whitko in 10th place with a 13:18.6 time, Alivia Tucker was 21st in 14:31.4, Jordyn Leininger was 44th in 15:27.3, Maggie Wolf finished in 17:59.3 for 50th place, and Nadia Rhoades was close behind with an 18:14.7 time for 51st place.

Triton was led by Jocelyn Faulkner in 11th place with a time of 13:33.4. Addison Albright was 46th, and Rilee Bemish was 48th in times of 15:59.7 and 16:13.6. Samantha Middaugh was 53rd in a time of 18:23.4, and Ashlie McAndrews was 56th in 19:05.5.

The Manchester Junior High boys also fared well in their race with a third-place result and 76 points. Rochester won the race with a score of 40, host Valley finished fourth behind Manchester with a score of 132, Triton was eighth with 195 points, and Whitko was ninth with a 222 tally.

Manchester got a seventh-place finish from Raven King in 11:50.6 and a ninth-place result from Cristian Hernandez-Beck in 11:57.7. Kyler Dale and Lane Stetzel were 15th and 16th in respective times of 12:18.6 and 12:30.3, and Caleb Smith placed 29th in 13:26.9.

Leading Valley Middle School’s boys was Noland Cumberland in 17th in a time of 12:33.4. Evan Myers was 19th, and Cooper Walls placed 20th in 22:48.7 and 12:49.1. Isaac Whetstone finished 37th in 13:37 flat, and Gerardo Fernandez was 39th in 13:48.1.

Chandler Westafer paced Triton Junior High in 12:41.3 for 18th place. Tykler Gladieux was 24th in 13:10.8, Connor Stetzel was 49th in 14:34.3, Connor Oleson placed 51st in 14:41 flat, and Mitchel Powell was 53rd in 14:49.7.

Sam Wise finished 34th, Dylan Cassidy was 36th, and Logan Hoffman placed 38th for Whitko in times of 13:32.7, 13:36.9 and 13:38.9. Isaiah Cripe was 50th in 14:35.8, and Ed Smith was 64th in 16:00.1.

LCA had two runners in the race, meanwhile. Jude Hall finished in 13:29.4, and Josiah Miller clocked 13:46.6.

WILDCAT CLASSIC
Wawasee’s cross country teams braved some poor conditions at the Wildcat Classic at Indiana Wesleyan University Saturday.

The Lady Warriors finished ninth in their half of the meet, which was won by Valparaiso.

Kenzie Smith finished 39th, Emma Ebright and Bailey Mayhew were 56th and 57th, respectively, and Cammy Kryder, Lily Taylor and Ella Beasley placed in order in 85th through 87th for Wawasee on an extremely muddy course at IWU.

For the 14th-place Warriors, Michael Hammer finished 68th, Karlson Hand was 106th, Camden Powell placed 109th, Clay Kelsheimer was 122nd, and Ben Hoffert placed 126th.

Times were not available for the meet.

COUNTY CLASH
NorthWood’s girls cross country team placed eighth in the annual race between Elkhart County and St. Joseph County rivals at Ox Bow Park.

Jennifer Martinez paced the Lady Panthers, finishing 37th in 22:06. She was closely followed by Megan Miller, Laura Schrock, Reese Baryhydt and Hannah Brubaker, who were all within 34 seconds of Martinez.

Complete results were not available for the meet.