The Lake Orion boys varsity cross country team won the Averill Invitational Gold Division on Saturday.

“Tougher course, tougher competition, but the men’s cross country team responded with another victory!” Coach Stan Ford said.

The Dragons also won the Anchor Bay Early Bird Invitational on Sept. 2.

With 12 teams competing in the Averill Invitational, the Dragons continued their pack running, led by Clayton Kuiper, who finished 2nd overall with a time of 16:44, less than two seconds behind first place finisher Liam Elder of Grand Ledge (16:42.7).

Lake Orion’s Hong Bing Tang finished 3rd overall (16:46), Will Houvener was 8th (16:58.9), Adam Hafeli 9th (17:07.2), and Luke Peardon was 19th (17:43.7), all finishing within 59 seconds of each other to outscore 2nd place Brighton by 10 points. All five were individual medalists.

Lake Orion finished with 41 points, besting its closest competitor, Brighton, by 10. Highland-Milford finished in third place with 106 points. OAA rival Rochester Adams finished in sixth place with 169 points.

While the Gold Division runners won, the Dragons also finished in the top three in both the Silver and Bronze divisions.

The “second team” – or Silver Division – competed in the second race of the day, taking 3rd place.

Jacob Gleason was 2nd, Ray Lucero finished 11th, Michael Drakos was 16th, Jacob Corless was 17th, Jack Logsdon was 22nd, Brady Harwood was 24th and Nate Havrilla finished in 25th place. All earned individual medals.

In the 3rd race of the day, the Bronze Division, the Dragons took home the 2nd Place trophy with Ben Redmon (3rd), Gavin Reed (9th), Keegan Heileman (11th), Carter Reynolds (16th), Kenny Locke (17th), Jack McKiernan (24th) all earning individual medals.

The Dragons next race was the OAA Red Jamboree #1 at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lake Orion High School after Lake Orion Review press time.

Lake Orion will then compete in the 53rd Holly/Duane Raffin Festival of Races on Saturday. – Stan Ford