The Martin girls’ cross-country team Saturday qualified for the second straight time for the Division 4 state meet.
The Lady Clippers came within one point of claiming the regional championship, being edged by Gobles with 32 points and Martin with 33. Junior Veyda Conley was runner-up individually and will make her third state appearance next Saturday at Michigan International Speedway.
Meanwhile, Wayland sophomore harrier Abree VanDenBrink and senior Mason Fein both earned their trip to the finals, as did Hopkins senior Jack Estelle and sophomore Kash Moored.
Conley was clocked in 19:05.59, just under three minutes slower than her school record time of 19:03 she set a week ago. She was runner-up again to Libby Smith of Gobles.
Joining Conley at the state meet next Saturday will be teammates Allison Rodgers, who was eighth in the regional meet, Sara Schipper, 10th, DuRae Sager 12th and Riley Bender 16th.
Wildcat runners Fein and VanDenBrink earned their finals trip by placing among the top 15 individual runners. Fein captured 16th overall with a 5K time of 16:49.1. VanDenBrink, who consistently has been breaking 20 minutes in her races, checked in with a time of 19:45.8.
Wayland boys finished sixth in the 12-team field. South Christian was regional champion with 40 points. Completing the Wayland girls’ scoring were freshman Madison Bumhoffer in 26th place, Sophia Miller 49th, Ryleigh Haveman 51st and Marissa Ainsworth 52nd. Finishing for the Wildcat guys’ squad were Ethan Manning 33rd, Alberto Mandujando 39thCarter Bultje 71sst and Jackson Byers 81st.
Estelle crossed the finish line in 16:22.52 for Hopkins, good for seventh place. Sophomore teammate Kash Moored was right behind him in 16:39.87. Rounding out the Vikings’ scoring were Grady Johnston 25th, Nicholas Jablonski 44th and Gavin Johns 55th. Hopkins finished in sixth place in the team derby, won by Holland Christian.
