Harriers Compete at Hill and Bale

9/8/2018

Harriers Compete at Hill and Bale
Story and photos by Alexis Mercer

In the first cool weather Saturday of the cross country season, 22 schools attended the Hill and Bale Invite in Fremont. Teams were split up into two divisions based on school enrollment.

From Newaygo County, Fremont, Grant and Newaygo competed in the large schools division. Hesperia and White Cloud raced in the small school division. Many middle school teams competed in their own races in addition to the high school divisions.

In an early season twist to the traditional 5k high school race, at the Hill and Bale, runners hurdle, vault, launch, step and sometimes crawl over a series of stacked bales of hay. It takes a skill unfamiliar to most runners to find ways over the bales of hay without crashing and most importantly, without slowing down the pace!

Full results can be found at https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/Results/Meet.aspx?Meet=144172&show=all

Fremont boys won the large school division as a team. Top five runners included Nathan Walker (1st), Ben Paige (6th), Conor Somers (7th), Joshua Zerfas (9th), and Adam Ward (11th).

Fremont girls won the large school division as a team as well. Top five runners included Hannah Hamilton (1st), Kendra Fowler (3rd), Leah Converse (4th), Samantha Schmidt (6th) and Annika Tuls (13th).

Grant’s top finisher for the boys was Colten Covington (2nd). Spencer Cole (8th) rounded out the medalists for the Tigers.

Grant’s top finisher and medalist for the girls was Elizabeth Gates in 5th place.

Newaygo’s first place runner for the boys was Ryan Brummel, finishing in 15th.

The top two runners for the Lions were Sophia Frisbie (10th) and Kate Haan (11th).

In the small school division, Hesperia’s top finisher was Chris Stapel for the boys and Becca Castillo (6th) for the girls.

White Cloud boys finished 3rd place overall as a team with Reginald Richmond finishing 1st and Adrian Rodriguez 7th.

The girls team for White Cloud came in 2nd place to Western Michigan Christian. Ella Bowman was the first runner to cross the line in 8th place.