Runners didn’t place as high as they wanted to at the league meet last Thursday.
Six runners won medals placing in the top 15 and were named ‘all-league.?
Kristen Smith, Natalie Smith, Tiffany Kincaid took honors for the girls team and Christian Bonzheim, Jeff Kuhl, Branton Dennis for the boys.
As a team the girls took second, three points from first place Troy High School.
‘We were pretty disappointed,? said Girls Cross Country Coach Mike Franko. ‘It was not what we planned.?
Rochester Adams scored three points less than Clarkston to take third. Rochester and Stoney Creek finished off the top five.
Kristen Smith placed highest for the Wolves, in third place after running 18:30. Her sister, Natalie, took fifth place and teammate Kincaid finished 11th.
Caitlyn Post took 22nd place.
‘It was a first high for her,? said Franko. ‘That was good and it helped to hold off Adams.?
The boys took third place in their meet. Lake Orion and Adams finished in front of them, while Troy and Rochester couldn’t keep the pace with the Wolves and finished the top five.
Bonzheim was the top finisher for Clarkston in ninth place at the pace of 16:38, Kuhl followed in 11th and Dennis at 15th.
‘We have improved through the year,? said Boys Cross Country Coach Mike Taylor. ‘We beat Rochester at county and got beat by Adams in the league.We could’ve been better. We will reorganize and regroup for regional.?
Both coaches noted their JV runners have been doing well.
‘We won all reserve meets. They did a great job all year long,? said Taylor.
Taylor said Clarkston and Lake Orion dominated the JV league race, Clarkston scored 26 points and Lake Orion scored 29. The third place team had 227 points.
‘It was a huge jump,? said Taylor. ‘The top 14 were only from Clarkston and Lake Orion.?
Ian Brennan placed first with 17:48, followed by Austin Yarger, Ryan Brown, Aaron Butora, and Mike Culver
Freshman and sophomore runners will run one more time at Lakeland on Oct. 28, 4:30 p.m.
Jill Harris took second in her JV race.
The varsity runners have MHSAA Regionals this Saturday at Springfield Oaks.
‘It shouldn’t be too difficult,? said Franko. ‘We have already beat most of the teams at Oxford Invitational and that was JV. We will make a good effort to score.?
Franko has set a goal for three runners to place in the top ten and to get a few more placed in the top 20.
The boys team is ready to see state contenders Milford, Hartland, Walled Lake Central and Lakeland.
‘Our goal is to challenge Milford and win,? said Taylor. ‘We will be the underdog, and Milford is the favorite. The goal is to qualify for states.?
Boys will run at 10:30 a.m. and girls will run at 1:30 p.m.