Cross Country: Cedarville’s Friendship Invitational draws 2,700 runners

The Cedarville Friendship cross country invitational drew more than 2,700 runners to the Elvin R. King course on the Cedarville University campus last weekend. The massive undertaking featured collegiate, high school and middle school teams.

Interest in this meet was high among high school teams because all the upcoming district meets have been shifted to the 5K Cedarville layout. Previously, most area teams competed in district meets at the Miami Valley Career Tech Center in Clayton.

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Bellbrook edged Springboro 71-72 to capture the girls high school team title. Senior Madison Pelfrey of Bellbrook was second overall (19:35.90) and sophomore teammate Elise Kemper seventh (20:06.60). Springboro was paced by junior Lindsey Coffin in third (19:38.00) and freshman Zoe Chappelle in sixth (19:54.60).

Northmont senior Melissa Barrett was the girls individual winner (19:35.80).

Tippecanoe packed four runners among the top 10 to run away with the girls combined Divisions II-III title, 37-89 over runner-up Springfield Shawnee. Leading Tipp was sophomore Kaili Titley, who placed fourth (19:27.50). Alter junior Perri Bockrath was the individual winner (19:01.30).

Cincinnati Elder (107 points) was the boys team champion. Miamisburg (130) was third and Bellbrook (176) fourth. The boys individual champion was Lakota East junior Dustin Horter (15:30.60). Fourth-place finisher Long-Fa Lin of Vandalia-Butler (16:33.5) was the best area individual.

Springfield Shawnee won the boys combined Divisions II-III championship (88) and Carroll was third (118). Tippecanoe freshman Bryce Conley was first overall (16:32.30).

Saturday is loaded with five big invites: the Versailles Tour De Sewer, the Midwest Catholic championships at Indian Riffle Park in Kettering, the Sidney Inv., the George Rogers Clark Park Inv. at Springfield, and Saturday Night Lights IX at Centerville.

All the meets are Saturday morning with the exception of Centerville. Racing at Centerville begins with middle schools at 3 p.m. The girls high school championship is at 9:15 p.m. and the boys at 9:45 p.m.

• Dayton Christian cousins Jake Erlandson and Nate Cruz have verbally committed to play soccer at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Both are outstanding seniors and were key members of the Warriors as freshmen. Cruz also attended an academy in Florida and is not eligible to play for DC this season.

Dayton Christian (5-2) is fourth in the most recent Ohio Scholastic Soccer Coaches Association state poll. DC hosts Miami Valley (3-2-3) at 7 p.m. Thursday.

• Xenia senior swimmer Hank Siefert has verbally committed to Kentucky. As a junior Siefert was the Division I state runner-up in the 200 free and fourth in the 500 free. He also participated in the U.S. Olympic trials at Omaha, Nebraska.

Competing for Springboro’s Coffman YMCA, Siefert won a national title in the 100 back (58.05) this past summer and set a YMCA national record in the 400 free last year (3:58.37). He chose UK over Virginia and Notre Dame.

• Cincinnati Public Schools assistant superintendent Bill Myles has been named minority representative for the Southwest District. He succeeds former Dayton Public Schools athletic director Jonas Smith in that position. Smith is now the AD at Bowling Green High School.

• Most conference boys and girls golf matches are this week. Division II and III district tournaments are next week. The D-I postseason begins one week after Divisions II-III.

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