The Hopk
ins girls’ and boys’ cross-country teams again both finished in second place in the latest O-K Silver Conference jamboree, losing only to perennial power Grandville Calvin Christian.
The Viking girls made it interesting with 46 points to Calvin’s 30. This despite a subpar performance from freshman sensation Laura Velderman, who broke the school freshman record Saturday at the Portage Invitational.
The guys scored 61 points to the Squires’ 22.
It appears both Hopkins squads will finish as runners-up in the final Silver standings.
Velderman, despite running more than a minute slower than Saturday, checked in with a time of 20:35 and placed fifth. Lydia Soper of North Pointe Christian, whom Velderman beat last Saturday and earlier in a Silver jamboree, won this one in 19:54.
The Vikings made the meet interesting because several of Velderman’s teammates stepped it up. Freshman Jasmine Fisher, who has been picking up her pace a great deal of late, took seventh at 21:41.
Junior Megan Teft, whose record Velderman eclipsed at Portage, was 10th in 22:03, Madison Snoeyink was 11th in 22:09 and Taryn Kilbane placed 13th in 22:21.
Sophomore Ethan Nagel was the top Hopkins runner for the guys, finishing ninth in 18:50. Not far behind were teammates freshman Dan Rausch, 12th in 19:27, James Wubben 16th in 19:45, Michael Heppe 18th in 19:56 and Nick Belka 25th in 20:37.
The jamboree took place at the Grand Rapids South Christian Athletic Fields. Only one more Silver meet is planned, followed by the Allegan County meet and then regionals.
PHOTOS: Freshman Jasmine Fisher, who has been cranking it up on the cross-country courses lately, finished seventh Tuesday at the O-K Silver jamboree at South Christian.
Freshman Dan Rausch, who’s been almost as hot lately on the course as Fisher.
