Edison boys, ’Jacket girls capture titles

MINERAL WELLS-Hamilton Middle School swept both individual titles Tuesday night at the Wood County Middle School Cross Country championships held at the 4-H Campgrounds off Butcher Bend Road. The girls from Williamstown and the boys from Edison that took home the team championships.

The Eagle boys repeated their 2007 performance by a 39-50 margin over runner-up Jackson. Williamstown placed third with 66 points followed by Hamilton (76), VanDevender (122) and Blennerhassett (151).

"We've had the individual boys champ both years I've been at Edison, but we're very proud to repeat our team title," Edison head coach Jason Evans said.

Led by Justin Thompson's runner-up effort, the Eagles placed three runners in the Top 10, which earned All-County honors for their finish.

"I think he (Thompson) thought he was OK," continued Evans. "He kind of let up a little bit there at the end and the Hamilton guy nipped him at the line."

The race was nip and tuck between Thompson and Hamilton's Nick Musgrave throughout the 1.8-mile course. Thompson appeared to have gained the upper hand just inches short of the finish line.

However, Musgrave mustered one last lunge to break the tape before his adversary to win in a time of 10 minutes and 34 seconds. Third place went to Edison's Kyle Thompson (10:49).

The remainder of the Top 10 included Jackson's Dru Aldridge (4th, 10:54), Alec Byrant (9th, 11:27) and Tyler Broadwater (10th, 11:27), Williamstown's Chandler Antill (5th, 10:56) and Jason Lockhart (6th, 11:12), Hamilton's Andrew Early (7th, 11:23) and Edison's Ty Dobson (8th, 11:26).

In the girls race, Hamilton's Lacey Heiden remained unbeaten on the season, winning the individual title with a time of 11 minutes and 48 seconds. But, it was the Williamstown girls who won the team title with a 40-61 victory over runner-up Jackson.

"I knew they could do it," first-year Yellowjacket head coach Dawn Settle said. "They have worked so hard all season and really came out tonight and raced as a team."

Team is right as four runners wearing the maroon and gold finished in the top eight led by Sarah Settle's third place (11:58). Eighth grader Kathleen Cornell (4th, 12:18), Brooke Davis (7th, 12:34) and Kaitlyn Fulks (8th, 12:35) rounded out the Williamstown quartet.

Also finishing among the Top 10 was Jackson's Kaylee Williams (2nd, 11:55), Blennerhassett's April Kirk (5th, 12:27) and Meredith O'Bara (6th, 12:27) and Edison's Brittany Dulin (9th, 12:43) and Eunji Choe (10th, 12:48).

In the team race, Edison finished third with 65 points followed by Blennerhassett (81) and Hamilton (112).

This was the first time Wood County had conducted middle school championships since switching from the junior high system.