Boys Best of the Week: Mount Gilead wins huge XC invitational
MOUNT GILEAD — The Indians made a statement over the weekend at the Boardman Spartan Invitational, home of northeastern Ohio's regional course.
Mount Gilead dominated the 31-team field that included 335 runners, winning the Division III boys meet with just 74 points. Runner-up Williamstown posted 116 points.
Will Baker ran second for MG behind winner Brylan Holland of East Canton, clocking a 16:47 to Holland's 16:24. Parker Bartlett was next for the Indians in fifth at 16:59, while Reed Supplee was ninth in 17:12, Aaron Gannon 27th in 18:17, Owen Hershner 31st in 18:22, Cole Hershner 63rd in 19:13 and Luke Frazier 97th in 20:27.
Mount Gilead is ranked second in the state coaches poll in Division III behind Ottawa Hills.
Here are some other highlights over the last week with the area's high school boys athletes and fall sports teams:
∎ Highland was fourth out of 13 teams at the Galion Cross Country Festival. Joel Roberts led the Scots with a ninth in 17:34 and was followed by Cael Gilmore (18th, 17:57), Grath Garee (19th, 18:02), Caleb Wetzel (22nd, 18:12), Brendan Lester (24th, 18:19), Matthew Miller (37th, 18:40) and Corban Benedict (39th, 18:55).
∎ River Valley's Chase Osborne placed second in the Division II-III open race at Galion, running an 18:07.
∎ Marion Harding took eighth out of 11 Division I teams competing in Galion. Carter Ferguson was 12th in 17:38 for Harding, Kade Sutherland 15th in 17:42, Peyton Ward 63rd in 20:14, Sebastian Swihart 68th in 21:33 and Harrison Owings 77th in 26:27.
∎ Northmor finished third in the Division III race at Galion with Ryan Lehman also taking third individually in 16:49. Behind him for the Golden Knights ran Lucas Weaver (10th, 17:26), Connor Radojcsics (30th, 18:22), David Blunk (41st, 18:41), Ethan Amens (54th, 19:08), Tomas Keen (72nd, 19:42) and Levi Hunter (74th, 19:45).
∎ Pleasant was seventh in the D-III race in Galion, led by Will Lichtenberger's 13th in 17:39 and Caleb Cameron's 33rd in 18:25. Others running in the top 100 for the Spartans were Jonah Bowdle (49th, 18:52), Nick Swartz (57th, 19:11), Liam Curtis (71st, 19:39) and Ben Dunham (78th, 19:51).
∎ Cardington took 13th at Galion in the D-III race. Aiden Reitmire paced the Pirates with a 17;41 for 14th, while A.J. Brehm was 46th in 18:46, and Brandon Elliott-Hughes was 90th in 20:25.
∎ Ridgedale and Gilead Christian also ran in Galion's D-III race. Isaac Lust and Brogan Weston were 35th and 38th in 18:27 and 18:33 for the Rockets, while Seth Bertam was 62nd to lead the Eagles with a 19:22.
∎ North Union was 20th at the Central Ohio Cross Country Invitational. Tyler Huff cracked the top 100 with an 89th in 18:10.
∎ Marion Harding's golfers won the Rich Dailey Ridgedale Invitational at Memorial Park in Kenton for the fourth year in a row, shooting a 356. Jacob Beaschler was medalist with a 78, while Austin Allen had an 89, Connor McCoy 90, Aiden Miller a personal-best 99 and Rayma Smith a 100.
In a 162-193 loss to Galion, Beaschler shot a 40, Allen a 48, McCoy a 50 and Smith a 55. In a 183-191 loss to Clear Fork at Deer Ridge, Beaschler was medalist with a 42 as McCoy and Allen both had 46s.
∎ River Valley knocked off Highland with a season-low effort of 161 in golf. Thomas Kaufman paced the Vikings with a 36, while Hayden Foltz chipped in with a 38, Logan Runyon a 42 and Chase Smith a 45. In the match, Highland's Emerson Grassbaugh broke his school record of 33 by posting a 31 and a string three birdies in a row on the front 9 at Kings Mill.
∎ North Union fell to Northwestern 170-176 at Mill Creek. Miles Hall shot 41, Wyatt Davis 43, Jaxon Jolliff 45 and Tayden Peck 47 for the Wildcats.
∎ Highland's Zane Sheets set a boys soccer school record with four goals in a match as the Scots blanked Marion Harding 6-0. Sheets ended with four goals, and Keegan Tackett had two. Caleb Hunter booted three assists, and Josiah Fatka had one for the Scots.
∎ River Valley earned a 3-2 win over Northside Christian with Gabe Douce scoring twice and Christian Knight getting a goal and assist. RV's Hudson Pollock added two assists, and J.R. Bates had three saves. The defense of Ian Burns was cited by coach Joel Roberts for taking away Northside's left-side attack.
Coaches and statisticians are encouraged to send results to the Marion Star's Rob McCurdy at rmccurdy@gannett.com, 419-610-0998, Twitter @McMotorsport and Instagram @rob_mccurdy_star.
VOTE: Marion Star Boys Best of the Week Performer Poll
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Highland soccer's Zane Sheets set a single-game program record with four goals in a win over Marion Harding.
Highland golfer Emerson Grassbaugh broke his own school record of 33 by shooting a 31 at Kings Mill where he made three birdies in a row during a loss to River Valley.
River Valley cross country's Chase Osborne was runner-up in the boys Division II-III open race at the Galion Cross Country Festival, clocking an 18:07.
Northmor cross country's Ryan Lehman was third with a 16:49 in the Division III boys race at the Galion Cross Country Festival.
Mount Gilead cross country's Will Baker was runner-up in 16:47 at the Boardman Spartan Invitational running against 334 other competitors.
Marion Harding cross country's Carter Ferguson was 12th in the Division I race at the Galion Cross Country Festival, running in 17:38.
Pleasant cross country's Will Lichtenberger was 13th in 17:39 in the D-III race at the Galion Cross Country Festival.
Cardington's Aiden Reitmire was 14th in 17:41 in the D-III race at the Galion Cross Country Festival.
This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Boys Best of the Week: Mount Gilead wins huge XC invitational
