The Pioneer girls’ cross country team took three of the top four spots and five in the top 10 in the 2023 Shepherd John Bruder Cross Country Classic on Sept. 7 and scored 28 points to run away with first place in the 15-team meet. DeWitt (94) was second and Jenison third (115).
The seniors led the Pioneers across the finish line. Lydia Bowman was second (18:34.1), Natalie Mello was third (18:46.0) and Sylvia Sank Dufallo was fourth (19:05.4). Senior Katie Hume was ninth (19:37.1) and sophomore Quincy Behm was 10th (19:38.9). Freshman Nina Moore ran 19th (20:02.3), freshman Lucinda Gubbini was 23rd (20:20.1) and junior Lucy Pike was 25th (20:28.9).
Skyline/Huron
The Skyline girls’ cross country team finished fifth at the Bath Invitational on Saturday. Northville ran first with 56 points, followed by Saline (59) and St. Johns (73). The Eagles finished with 141 points.
Skyline was led by senior Allison Mayer (6th in 19:33.36), freshman Irie Scrase (16th in 20:12.28), freshman Becca vanLent (43rd, 21:52.1), senior Alexandria Mason (46th, 22:15.59), senior Aileen Bachrans (48th, 22:25.22) and senior Serena O’Brien (65th, 23:46.15).
The boys also ran fifth at Bath with 137 points. Northville was first with 28 points, followed by Saline (84) and Byron Center (124). Huron finished fourth with 132 points.
Luke Suliman, who placed second overall with a PR of 15:38.06, led the Eagles. The senior’s time is the fastest run in the region so far and third fastest D1 time in the state. Senior Mason Jett placed 4th overall in 16:16.04, sophomore Bruno Cifaldi placed 27th in a PR of 17:11.74. Junior Jack Robichaud was 49th in 18:05.14 and freshman Nicholas Yuan was 62nd in 18:23.93.
The River Rats had two runners crack the top 20. Junior Walker Brose was 15th in 16:54.01 and junior Jonah Kraft ran 18th in 16:57.43. Senior Henry Beard was 25th in 17:09.84, senior Lucas Weintraub was 33rd in 17:23.42 and sophomore Thomas Conley was 45th in 17:58.18.
The Huron girls’ team was fifth at the Rambling Rock Invitational at Willow Metropark on Saturday. Oxford was first with 76 points, followed by Livonia Franklin (136), Dearborn Divine Child (143), Livonia Churchill (145) and the River Rats (178).
Senior Sonya Shelgikar was 15th in 19:54.30, junior Lucinda Paliani was 22nd in 20:33.40, sophomore Leena Shelgikar was 33rd in 21:13.30, senior Sarah Conley was 46th in 21:43.10, junior Sala Motohara was 83rd in 22:50.50 and junior Julieta Turon was 172nd in 26:31.0.
The Eagle’s JV runners also had solid performances with the boys’ team taking second and the girls running fifth. The JV girls were led by medalists Ivy Miller (17th wtih a PR of 22:59), Grace Hopkins (19th in 23:17), Alysia Townsend (21st with a PR of 23:23) and Julianna Bailey (30th in 24:09). Paxton Rose (13th in 18:57) led the JV boys followed by Enshu Kuan (16th in 19:00), Alex Nemecek (20th in 19:09), and Garret Comer (23rd in 19:16).
The local teams will run on Wednesday at the SEC Jamboree at Bedford.
