Runners finished in third place at the Chesaning Invitational last Thursday.
“We showed improvement,” said Clarkston Boys Cross Country Coach Mike Taylor. “Part of it was due to weather – the temperature dropped. I was pretty happy. It was a good effort. We went up to Chesaning and it was damp and 20 degrees cooler. It made a lot of difference.”
Sophomore Grant Henley led the team, finishing at 16:50.3 for fifth place.
“I was surprised at his place but pleased with his time,” Taylor added. “I thought he would place higher.”
Flushing won the meet with 51 points for first place. Corunna was second with 71 points; Clarkston, third, 78 points; Brandon, fourth, 94 points; and Williamston, fifth, 105 points. Birch Run, Swartz Creek, Owosso, Flint Kearsley and Flint Carman-Ainsworth rounded off the top ten.
For the Wolves, senior Nathan Heierman took tenth place at 17:05. Junior Tyler Dunn finished closely behind at 17:06 for 11th place. Sophomore Nick Paris finished in 24th; sophomore Simeon Britting, 28th; junior Jacob Dasuqi, 29th; and freshman William Eisert, 31st.
“We are improving,” Taylor said. “The guys’ times dropped and spirits are improving.”
The boys and girls cross country teams competed in the OAA Red Jamboree on Tuesday, which was postponed from last week due to the hot weather.
They go to the second jamboree for the league next Tuesday at Stony Creek Metro Park.
“We have an uphill climb,” said Taylor. “We went to West Bloomfield and got beat by everybody. “We lost some people in the season and it is going to be tough.”
He added Henley has aided the Wolves and other runners will have to jump in.
“It will be a struggle this year,” Taylor admitted. “The only things you can do are improve, work hard, do things right, learn how to do the sport and race in a 5K and bring times down. It is an opportunity for some of our younger guys and guys on varsity who haven’t run a lot to step into that gap.”
He added they will do what the can in their first meet this week and use it as they prepare for the same teams next week.
The race at Stony Creek Metropark begins at 4:30 p.m. The park is located at 4300 Main Park Drive in Shelby Township.
Vehicles with Huron-Clinton Metropark pass get into the park free. Daily passes are $5 per vehicle.
“An opportunity to compete is an opportunity to get some experience,” said Taylor.