By Mark Carpenter
People’s Defender
The first large cross-country meet of the 2023 season took place on Saturday, August 26 as Ripley High School hosted a competition that included runners from 16 different schools across southern Ohio. Medals were given to the top 20 runners in both the middle school and high school races.
The morning began in comfortable weather after a blistering hot week and the middle school girls, featuring 50 runners was first up. The top finisher from Adams County was West Union eighth grader Stella Rhonemus, who placed 12th overall with a time of 14:31. Manchester eighth grader Leoti Carman placed 15th with her time of 14:55, West Union eighth grader Raeghan Rothwell grabbing the final medal spot, finishing 20th at 15:17.
In the middle school boys race (75 runners), Peebles’ Calen Vogler placed third overall with a time of 11:49, the top Adams County finisher. North Adams eighth grader Jayce Durbin was 10th in a time of 12:47, while Peebles’ Licas Krieger finished 15th at 13:11. Also garnering medals for their efforts were West Union eighth grader Gavin Rowe (17th, 13:18) and Manchester seventh grader Ryan Parker (19th, 13:20).
There were a total of 46 runners in the high school girls race and the county represented well with the top finisher from Adams County was Manchester junior Hurst, who came through the chute in a time of 23:30. Lady Hounds’ junior Maddie Lejzerowicz was 10th overall with her time of 24:33, with West Union junior Sadie Armstrong coming in 12th in a time of 25:31. North Adams junior Katelynn Boerger was 13th with a time of 25:08 and also earning medals in the HS girls race were West Union freshman Lydia Armstrong (14th, 25:31), West Union senior Allie McCarty (15th, 25:38), North Adams junior McKenna Shelton (17th, 25:54) and West Union freshman Violet Randolph (20th, 26:19).
In the high school boys race, 84 runners toed the starting line and after being in bed sick most of the week, Manchester senior Connor Darnell placed fifth overall with a time of 18:09, with teammate, sophomore Ryan Butcher-Raines, right behind in sixth with his time of 18:22. Another Greyhound, sophomore Elijah Crabtree, finished ninth overall at 19:37. North Adams junior Jimmy Hickey was 10th in a time of 19:39 and West Union senior Trey Bracken finished 13th at 20:07. Rounding out the county medalists was West Union junior James Smith, who was 19th with his time of 20:40.
2023 Ripley Invitational Team Standings
Middle School Girls: Oak Hills 23, Georgetown 60, Bethel-Tate 65, New Richmond 102, North Adams 111
Middle School Boys: Oak Hills 33, Eastern Brown 54, Georgetown 64, New Richmond 118, Bethel-Tate 119, Lynchburg-Clay 149, Manchester 153
High School Girls: Georgetown 60, West Union 75, Eastern Brown 76, New Richmond 87, Manchester 89, North Adams 95
High School Boys: Mason County 51, New Richmond 56, Manchester 65, Ripley 124, West Union 135, Georgetown 147, North Adams 167, Eastern Brown 183