GALION — Mother Nature made things difficult Saturday at the Galion Cross County Festival.
Cloudless skies and temperatures in the mid-80s created tough conditions at Amann Reservoir Park, where times were a little slower than usual on a traditionally fast track.
“I wasn’t thinking it was going to be this hot,” Crestview’s Cooper Brockway said after placing seventh in the Division III boys race in 16:50.40.
“There was not a lot of wind and it was so hot. It was probably the hottest meet we’ve ran all year.”
Division III Girls
The Division III girls went out first and Crestview placed second with a score of 100. Leyna Gerich led the Cougars, finishing 11th in 20:26.10.
Mansfield Christian boasted a pair of top five finishers in Riley Patrick and Meagan Them. Patrick was second in 19:43.50, while Them (19:57.20) was fourth.
Grandview Heights won the team title with a score of 94. Sandy Valley’s Casey Russell won the event in 19:11.20.
Division III Boys
Colonel Crawford placed third in the Division III boys race, but were just nine points out of first. The Eagles had a score of 116, behind team champ Mount Gilead (107) and the FCA Homeschool team (111).
Adam Scott paced the Eagles, finishing 10th in 17:12.80.
Division I Boys
Ashland finished third in the Division I boys race with a score of 62. The Arrows tied with Copley, which took second based on a tie-breaker. Westerville Central won with a score of 16.
Chaden Simpson led the Arrows, finishing fifth in 17:17.20.
Division I/II Girls
Shelby won the combined Division I/II girls race with a score of 87. Upper Sandusky (98) was second in the 14-team field.
Shelby’s Anna Will placed second individually, finishing in 19:56.30. Will passed third-place finisher Sarah Lawerence of Copley (19:57.30) in the final 10 meters.
Celina’s Jenalee Dameron won in 19:36.90.
Galion’s Makayla Halbisen was seventh in 21:07.60. Shelby’s Emma Montgomery (21:30.90) was 10th.
Division II Boys
Shelby was the top local finisher in the Division II boys race, finishing eighth. Celina won with a score of 41, while Liberty-Bento (46) was second.
Individually, Shelby’s Zane Robinson was the top area placer. Robinson was 23rd in 18:42.10.
Liberty-Benton’s Jackson Hochstettler won in 16:26.50.