The Hopkins girls’ varsity cross-country team was runner-up in its division at the annual Yankee Springs Invitational Monday afternoon and the boys took third.
The Lady Vikings accumulated 62 points, to finish behind the Grand Rapids Track Club’s 38, but they were ahead of Grand Rapids West Catholic, Libertas Christian, Grand Rapids West Michigan Aviation, Vermontville Maple Valley and Wyoming Godwin Heights.
Lady Viking ace Laura Velderman captured the No. 2 slot in the individual race, coming in with a time of 20:54.91, about 20 seconds behind medalist Anna Mason of Libertas Christian. Fellow junior Jasmine Fisher checked in fourth at 21:03.59 and sophomore Gracie DeZeeuw raised a few eyebrows by taking 14th in 23:03.26. Junior Emma Helder was 15th and sophomore Alyssa Bielby completed the scoring in 31st place.
The Grand Rapids Track Club dominated the boys’ competition by copping five of the top six places. The only runner who stopped the sweep was Hopkins sophomore Todd Henley, who took fourth in 17:53.35.
Junior Dan Rausch was eighth in 18:30.57, sophomore Zach Nutter was 25th in 20:44.87, Jake Pastoor was 27th and Christopher Tortorelli finished 36th.
So the Viking boys had 89 points. The GR Track Club won with 17, GR West Michigan Aviation had 63. Maple Valley was fourth, Godwin was fifth and Libertas Christian sixth.
