The Wayland High School boys’ cross-country team Saturday morning fell short of its season-long goal of qualifying for the state Division 2 meet.
The Wildcats settled for fifth place ijn the regionals at South Christian with a combined score of 132. The top three teams in each division earn the right to compete next Saturday in the state meet at Michigan International Speedway.
East Grand Rapids won the regional title with a score of 38 and O-K Gold Conference champion was runner-up with 46, followed by host South Christian and Battle Creek Harper Creek.
In the girls’ competition, Wayland senior Olivia Barabas was ninth, qualifying for state, and the Lady Wildcats claimed ninth place, while Hopkins checked in seventh.
Sophomore Dylan Pallett was the only Wildcat individual to qualify for state with a time of 16:40.37, good for 14th. Devin Weaver was 18th in 16:55.62, Travis Soon was 27th in 17:20.77, James Butler was 31st in 17:28.33 and Isaac Dyer was 42nd in 17:56.05.
Hopkins boys placed 15th. Freshman Jack Estelle was 44th in 18:05.92, Kenyon Katje was 84th, Jonathan Buskirk 99th, Vijay DeZeeuw 100th and Adam Halsted 106th.
Barabas checked in with a five-kilometer time of 19:25.92, followed by Noelle House in 34th, Elliot Angel 41st, Emma Thayer 72nd and Ruby Sidebothan 81st.
Leading the way for Hopkins was Nevaeh Helderop in 24th place in 20:25.46. Jaeden Harshberger was 29th, Kambria Moored 33rd, Allison Breining 44th and Abigail Zalis 76th.
East Grand Rapids also won the girls’ race with a score of 29. Hopkins came in with 205 and Wayland 235.
