CROSS COUNTRY

The Forester cross country teams got a trial run on the course they’ll be competing on for the Crossroads League Championships at the Ray Bullock Invitational hosted by Taylor University Friday night where both the men’s and women’s team finished eighth.

In the women’s 5K, Saige Norris paced the Foresters by clocking in at 20:00.5 (6:27/mile) to finish 21st out of 131 runners. Aspen Dirr came in next for Coach Johnson by posting a time of 20:09.2 for 26th place.

Bianca Tisdale (21:16.9) and Olivia Von Gunten (21:18.9) finished within two seconds of each other to claim 47th and 48th respectively. Rounding out scoring for HU was Erin Manchess who turned in a 22:18.5 for 53rd place.

Other runners for Huntington included Rachael Smelser (55th, 22:51.8) and Lauren Craig (56th, 22:58.8).

Taylor ran away with the title with 22 points followed by Madonna (56), Indiana Wesleyan (87), Bethel (139), Spring Arbor (141), Mount Vernon (144), Michigan-Dearborn (192), HU (195) and Anderson (279). Goshen, Grace and IU South were also represented at the meet but didn’t have enough runners to be considered in the team scores.

Kevin Moser ran a 28:15.6 for 31st place to cross the line first for the Forester men. Not far behind was Nick Childs who claimed 33rd in 28:21.8. Aaron Hendryx turned in a 28:36.3 for 38th. The final two scorers for HU included Kody Ahrens (46th, 29:14.4) and Adrien Gentie (51st, 29:29.3).

Other runners for Johnson’s squad included Elijah Chesterman (55th, 29:42.4) and CJ Robertson (60th, 30:20.8).

The Trojans also won the men’s 8K with 43 points followed by Indiana Wesleyan (46), Madonna (77), Michigan-Dearborn (94), Goshen (141), Bethel (180), Mount Vernon (185), HU (199), Grace (235) and IU South (330).

“We have had a tough two weeks of training so we knew we were coming into this meet on tired legs,” said Johnson. “The ladies finished exactly as we expected. The men finished one place behind their projection but we had three men not race, including two of our top seven.”

Huntington has three weeks off until competing in the Wilmington College Invitational on October 12.