The O-K Silver Conference girls’ cross country individual champion is just a freshman, Laura Velderman of Hopkins.

It’s one thing to arrive fresh on the scene in August and show amazing skill and promise, it’s quite another to pass everybody else in the field in the league and place ninth at the prestigious Portage Invitational.

But Velderman has done it, and even better, she came in Wednesday more than a second faster than her previous best at Portage by clocking in at 19:11.9.

Her teammates weren’t too shabby either, as they took the runner-up slot in the league meet at the Ironwood Golf Course, behind only perennial conference power Calvin Christian. The Squires had 31 points and Hopkins had 47, making them work to repeat.

Though the Viking boys weren’t as close, they still took second place behind Calvin Christian with 70 points. The Squires won it with 23. North Pointe Christian was third, just three points behind Hopkins.

All five Viking runners finished in the top 15 individual spots. Fellow freshman Jasmine Fisher continued her serious improvement to cross the line in 20:58 and finish eighth. Juniors Megan Heft and Madison Snoeyink were 11^th and 12^th in 21:08 and 21:15 and Taryn Kilbane was 15^th in 21:46.

So if they can stay healthy, the Viking girls very well could be a major force to be reckoned with in state competition, like they were a couple of years ago. It was Hopkins that one year halted Calvin Christian’s long-standing string of O-K Silver championships.

Finishing second and third behind Velderman were friendly rivals Lydia Soper and Kelli Smith of North Pointe. Soper ran a blistering 19:20 on the course.

Calvin Christian’s Abe Visser was boys’ individual champion with a fine time of 16:19.7.

Grouping was the key for the Vikings boys to take second. Sophomore Ethan Nagel was ninth in 17:58.4, freshman Dan Rausch was just a second behind in 10^th sophomore James Wubben was 14^th in 18:55, senior Michael Heppe 24^th in 19:59 and junior Nick Belka finished 26^th in 20:02.

Both the Hopkins boys’ and girls’ teams are scheduled to take part in the Allegan County meet Friday and then prepare for the Oct. 31 Division 3 regional meet.

The state finals, as always, will be at Michigan International Speedway near Brooklyn on Saturday, Nov. 7.

PHOTO: Hopkins freshman Laura Velderman (left) is all smiles with her O-K Silver Conference championship medal. Her top two rivals are Lydia Soper (center) and Kelli Smith, both of North Pointe Christian. (Photo supplied)