‘Cats 4th in boys and girls’ county meet, Velderman finishes 9th

Wayland boys and girls finished in the middle of the pack Friday at the Allegan County cross-country meet, which featured seven teams.

Otsego won both the boys’ and girls’ competition and the Freyhofs from Hamilton, Mark and Erika, emerged as individual county champions. Mark ran a winning time of 16:22.89 while Erika checked in with a 17:53.01 to beat all comers by more than a minute.

Otsego scored 31 points in the boys’ meet, Saugatuck had 42, Hamilton 62 and Wayland 118. For the girls’, the Bulldogs won with 22 points, Saugatuck had 70, Hamilton 87 and Wayland 107.

Hopkins girls finished fifth with 11 points, but the Viking guys were seventh and last with 177.

Perry Carter was the Wildcats’ leading runner in the boys’ competition by taking 12^th with a time of 17:19.81, Jonathan Zuiderveen was 16^th in 17:26.13, Owen Glass 22^nd in 17:59.17, Derek Huffman 33^rd in 18:31.65 and Landen Merren 47^th in 19:30.34.

For Hopkins, Ethan Nagel was 27^th in 18:09.27; Dan Rausch 31^st in 18:28.33; James Wubben 42^nd, 19:10.51; Jake Pastoor, 52^nd, 19:50.68, and Nick Belka 57^th, 20:06.48.

Hopkins girls’ freshman sensation settled for ninth place, almost a minute slower than her O-K Silver Conference championship pace Wednesday. She crossed the finish line in 19:50.39 and was bested by Otsego and Hamilton runners and one harrier from Saugatuck.

Fellow freshman Jasmine Fisher was 24^th, 21:06.33; Madison Snoeyink 31^st, 21:33.07; Megan Heft 33^rd, 21:47.83, and Taryn Kilbane 36^th, 21:59.83.

Wayland took 17^th, 18^th and 19^th places consectively with freshman Payton Sidebotham (20:47.91), freshman Zoe Antel (20:48.38) and senior Mackenzy Kasper (20:54.16).Maggie Whitney finished 38^th in 22:07.22 and Mickala Kohtz 40^th in 22:11.01.

PHOTOS:  Perry Carter   Payton Sidebotham and Mackenzy Kasper

(Photos courtesy of Hope Thurston Carter)