Five local runners compete at state cross-country meet

Five area high school cross-country runners competed Saturday at the Michigan High School Athletic Association state championship meet at Michigan International Speedway near Brooklyn.

There were no local teams present, but Wayland boys missed that distinction by just five team points last week at regionals. Because none of the Wildcats’ five top runners are seniors, they collectively are promising to join the fun.

Highlights of the races at MIS were:

• Olivia Barabas, Wayland, ran her best five-kilometer race ever with a time of 19:45.94 and finished 48^th in the field of 254 runners.

• Eli Dykstra, Martin, finished 135^th with a time of 18:46.49. A total of 247 runners competed in his race.

• Lady Clipper Mercedes Morin finished 75^th with a time of 21:31.69, shaving a second off her school record time. There

was a total of 242 runners in her race.

• Hopkins freshman Kambria Moored checked in with a time of 20:21.49 and finished127^th in the girls’ Division 2 meet .

• Sophomore Helena Kerber, with a time of 20:47.05, was close behind her Viking teammate in 133^rd.