Viking boys win Lebo meet

LEBO — The West Franklin High School girls cross-country team will need to get used to competing for a team placing.

The Falcons appear to have the makings of a team that can challenge for team medals this season after finishing third Thursday in the Lebo Invitational, just seven points behind the winner.

The Central Heights boys won their division as the top seven runners finished in the top 19.

West Franklin coach Jerald Johnson saw a few places where the Falcons could have made up the difference, but inexperience hurt.

“We are young,” he said. “We have to learn how to pace. We did not have enough gas at the end. We have to be pleased overall.”

All five girls finished in the top 20 and medaled.

Johnson said the meet fit the bill for the Falcons.

“We got our feet wet. It is a good place for our first meet. It is nice to bring home some hardware,” Johnson said.

Sophomore Taylor Slavens paced the Falcons in fourth.

“She put together a good race,” Johnson said.

Senior Ethan VanZant led the Vikings in third and ran a much faster time than a year ago. Trever Burkdoll was fourth and Michael David, 10th.

Central Heights coach John Schultz said the new runners showed they could compete at the varsity level.

“Overall, team average was much faster than last season,” Schultz said.

West Franklin Girls

4, Taylor Slavens; 15, Amanda Sharp; 18, Natasha Rodriguez; 19, Megan Giffen; 20, Megan Findley.

CH girls

24, Alicia Croci, 17:19; 25, Natasja Carlson, 17:32; 26, Joy Savage, 18:01; 27, KayeLee Olinghouse, 18:02; 28, Christina Mayhew, 18:20; 31, Dallas King, 19:06; 32, Renee Gragg, 19:23; 34, Maylee Bryant, 21:27.

CH boys

3, Ethan VanZant, 18:29; 4, Trever Burkdoll, 18:51; 10, Michael David, 19:41; 15, Thomas Conaway, 19:55; 16, Mason Robertson, 20:01; 17, Alex Kimball, 20:16; 19, Guge Holler, 20:35; 20, Nathan Patterson, 20:41; 27, Beau Skeet, 21:36; 32, Cody Sluder, 22:16; 45, Austin King, 23:59; 51, Cody George, 31:13; 52, Jon Carlson, 31:18.

Middle school

WF

Seventh girls

1, Autumn Holloway.

Seventh boys

2, Cody Webb.

Eighth boys

10, Zach Tate.

CH

Girls

8, Emily Holloman, 6:57; 22, Shelby Cardell, 7:37.

Boys

9, Dillon Welch, 6:40; 19, Jessie Porter, 7:25; 24, Jordan Miller, 7:39.

Eagles at AC

GARNETT — The Wellsville boys finished ninth in the Anderson County Invitational with 197 points.

Boys varsity

24, Cole Meyer, 19:06; 39, Derek Moore, 20:09; 42, Trenton Meyer, 20:30; 51, Curtis Kunard, 20:59; 53, Dyllan Calderwood, 21:03; 65, Austin Silsby, 22:10.

JV

59, Caleb Smith, 24:52; 68, Travis Eppinger, 26:39.

Freshmen

15, Erik Firth, 18:28.

Girls

33, Erica Layton, 19:33; 38, Rebecka Ohlmeier, 19:54; 43, Hannah Boehm, 20:30; 58, Katie Gloshen, 24:10.