WHHS opens up season with win at Sharon Kline Invite
Pictured for the Sharon Kline Invitational champion West Holmes Knights cross country team are Camden Doty, left, Matthew Young, Caden Zeigler, Cade Wagers, Haeden Wolfe, Zeke Galbraith and Caiden Carter.
While no West Holmes Knights boys cross country runner finished among the top five at the Sharon Kline Invitational in West Salem on Tuesday, Aug. 25, they did all run among the top two-dozen competitors, which was good enough to earn them the victory.
The race was dropped to a 2-mile run rather than the traditional 3.1-mile course.
Cade Wager placed sixth overall in 11:08.3, followed closely by teammates Haeden Wolfe (ninth/11:21.7) and Zeke Galbraith (11th/11:25.6).
Just as important to the victory were the strong finishes by Camden Doty (15th/11:44.7) and Caiden Carter (24th/11:54.2). It all added up to a great team effort. Rounding out the team’s performance were Matthew Young (39th/12:33.5) and Caiden Zeigler (54th/13:55.6).
The team total of 65 got the Knights to the top spot on the podium, fending off runner-up Mapleton’s score of 72. Black River was right there in third with 74 in the 10-team event.
On the girls’ side, the Lady Knights placed fourth, falling to Dalton, Smithville and Waynedale in the five-team event.
Brogan Steimel led the way for WHHS by placing ninth in a time of 14:18. In a tight pack of finishers, Emily Truax (15th/14:54.6), Brenna Myers (17th/15:01.2) and Araceli Kandel (18th/15:05.6) ran well together.
Finishing out the final scoring spot was Carolyn Miller (25th/15:38.7) while also competing for West Holmes were Sayler Miller (28th/16:08.1 and Olivia Sampsel (30th/16:59.6).
Champion Dalton got great performances from Briana Chenevey (fourth/13:38.5) and Bailey Chenevey (sixth/13:53.4) while Smithville was led by a pair of stars in Rebekak Carr (second/13:12.3) and Josephine Heeke (third/13:23.8).
Waynedale produced the individual winner in Kylee Gray, who ran a 13:02.8, while her teammate Clara Sundberg finished fifth in 13:52.2.