The Hopkins girls’ cross-country team captured first place in the Hopkins Invitational Saturday at the Gun Lake Tribe’s Camp Jijak in Hopkins Township.
The Vikings boys finished second in the competition.
Kambria Moored was the day’s individual medalist for women with a time of 23 minutes flatland teammate Lillian Dewey was runner-up at 23:07.9 Navaya Ingle finished eighth, freshman Shyanna Buskirk was ninth and freshman Claire Fifelski 10th.
The Lady Vikings had 27 points as a team.
Also competing, but not fielding enough runners to have a team score were Wayland, Allegan, Muskegon Catholic Central, Kelloggsville, Howardsville Christian and Maple Valley.
Freshman Abree VanDenBrink led the Lady Wildcats by finishing fourth, Megan Stack was 17th, Heli Ryhanean was 20th and Sarah Osborn 21st.
Viking junior Jack Estelle emerged as boys’ individual medalist in 17:20.5 and Wayland’s Dylan Pallett was runner-up at 17:23.4 over the five-kilometer course.
Hopkins freshman Kash Moored was particularly impressive with a fifth-place showing in 18:09.7. Wildcat junior Ethan Manning also made the top 10 with ninth-place finish in 18:48.9.
Rounding out the Hopkins scoring were Kenyon Katje, 13th in 19:28; Isaiah Robinson 17th, and Gavin Schans 19th.
Mason Fein was third among Wayland runners in 15th overall, Arquiumedes Miguel-Garcia was 43rd, Kyan Lawrence was 51st.
The Vikings’ team total was 45, just four shy from winner Berrien Springs.
Wayland coach Ray Antel remarked, “What a morning to compete! Downhills and uphills, sunshine and shade! This course had it all.”
