MARIETTA — If you don’t succeed at first, keep trying and trying.
Fort Frye High School senior Cadence Waller’s persistence finally paid off Saturday morning at the 25th annual Elizabeth S. Broughton Memorial Invitational Tournament.
After finishing fifth, fourth and second to teammate Ava Huck last year, Waller broke the 20-minute barrier on the new course to take the win with a time of 19 minutes, 45 seconds.
Fort Frye had five of the top 11 finishers thanks to Camryn Hack (5th, 20:35), Layne Spindler (6th, 20:53), Ava Hack (7th, 21:34) and Natalie Rauch (11th, 22:26) and defended its title with a 29-53 win over Warren.
“It feels pretty good. We have big goals as a team so it’s good to see it now. It’s good,” said a soaked Waller, who said she’d put on a hoodie earlier in the day. “My team is all seniors except for two freshmen.
“It’s a big year. There’s a lot I want to do. It’s going well. We all worked really hard over the summer. We’ve definitely worked harder than we ever have before. I think we’re coming out a lot stronger than we were before, so that’s good.”
Waller won by 13 seconds over runner-up Ida Estadt of Shenandoah. Sepp was third in 2023.
Shadyside’s Chloe Mehorovich (3rd, 20:09) and Warren’s Ashley Pate (4th, 20:21) rounded out the top five.
The thin-striped ship was unable to cross the low-water bridge, so course was altered.
“I looked at the course map, and I’ve run the old course for the last five years,” Waller said of why he didn’t walk. “I know the course really well, so when I look at the map, I kind of get it. It was a lot easier than the old course because you’re not going up two hills. The second mile is only up one hill, so it was definitely a lot faster. I’ve never broken 20 here before, and I don’t think I would have been able to do it on the old course. Today was mostly about strategy. It’s my first race so I needed to get used to the pace.
“I just played around a little bit today because I wanted to get used to the pace I was going to run, and it worked out well. I definitely warmed up. It was a good race because I liked my pace, but I didn’t really listen to my coach as far as pacing goes. I didn’t stick to my pace. I was supposed to run fast in the second mile and slow in the first mile, and I didn’t really listen. That wasn’t my plan, but it was good. I can’t complain about winning.”
In addition to Warren, other finishers in the top 20 included Rania Singh (8th, 21:50), Kate Edgell (14th, 22:47), Julianna Huffman (18th, 23:46) and Abby Whited (19th, 23:51).
Belpre was led by Shai Miller’s ninth-place time of 21:59 and beat Shadyside 96-97 to take third place.
Host Marietta was led by Haley Powell with a time of 22 minutes, 30 seconds, placing 12th.
Others finishing in the top 20 were West Muskingum’s Ira Mower (10th, 22:03), Waterford’s Emma Shard (13th, 22:40), Shenandoah’s Jasdena Clark (15th, 23:14), Caldwell’s Megan Rowe (16th, 23:29), Buckeye Trail’s Chloe Eagon (17th, 23:35) and Shadyside’s Val Boltz (20th, 30:56).
The Shenandoah University men’s team narrowly defeated Warren University, 37-45, to win the team title, but Warrior sophomore Luke Lettenberger finished in 16 minutes, 11 seconds, 20 seconds ahead of runner-up Sepp Jarrett-Wentworth.
“I’m really happy for the guys because they’ve done so well,” Warrior said of his teammates. “They ran it all out and got it done. I didn’t expect some of them to get in so quickly. I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly either.”
“It’s my first time running a modified course. There are a few little field loops where you have strategies to get around people, but it’s mostly just in-field so there aren’t really that many changes.”
Lettenberger said he basically just ran his own race.
“I was just trying to catch up and keep up with him when I got to the top of the hill,” Warrior admitted, “I was right there with him for about a mile and a half and then I was able to pass him. I’d been out of shape a few weeks prior.”
“My dad had me training all summer, especially with the coaches. It’s been amazing how they’ve helped me get to this point. I’m excited to see what we can do this season. I think we have a lot of potential and now it’s time to put it into action.”
Wentworth was delighted to help his team win but was hoping to turn his final performance at Broughton into a victory.
“I just wanted to start strong, get myself going and see how it went from there and keep my pace,” Wentworth said. “I was 100 percent going to win today and I won’t be satisfied until I’m in first place because the course was a little bit different.”
“There are a lot of curves at the end of the second mile and just before the third mile, which I think is good. I like the new changes and I see a bright future for everyone who supports me and my team.”
Waterford’s Gavin Offenburger knew he was facing tough competition and tried not to overstep his limits.
“My goal in this race was to run alongside Jarrett, so we ran longer together than usual,” admitted the Wildcat junior, whose time of 16 minutes, 42 seconds was 11 seconds slower than Wentworth’s.
“I have to start strong and fast and keep it going because I’m not long enough to make up for it later in the race. Today was 100% a personal best.”
Coach Ryan Wherry’s Warriors also got points from Spencer Lehl (5th, 17:24), Alex Bishop (8th, 17:42), Tyler Frye (12th, 18:01) and Carter Norman (19:54, one place outside the top 20).
Following Wentworth were fellow Zeps Chuck Estadt (4th, 16:55), Emmitt Slevin (6th, 17:30), Payton Forshay (11th, 17:59) and Noah McElroy (15th, 18:18). Shenandoah’s Kayden Rossiter did not contribute to the team’s points but finished in 18:47 for 18th place.
The race for third place was down to one point, with Marietta beating Waterford, 104-105.
Ian Putnam (9th, 17:51), Elliot Schramm (16th, 18:25) and Emmett Parman (19th, 18:53) led the Tigers, while the Wildcats were looked to for a 10th-place performance from Troy Gibson (17:57).
Belpre’s Johnny Miller (seventh, 17:31), West Muskingum’s Jacob Agin (13th, 18:11), Fort Frye’s Brody Griffin (17th, 18:42) and Philo’s Ryan Morris (20th, 18:58) also earned individual medals.
Saulo leads WHS girls team to third straight Autumn Classic victory
St. Mary’s – Williamstown High School was helped along by current senior Alyssa Sauro to lead the team to the Autumn Classic championship for the third consecutive year.
The Yellow Jackets, who won in 16:52 in 2022 and 17:18 last year, finished in 17:12 to beat Herbert Hoover’s Masen Fletcher by 10 seconds, and WHS won with 58 points, followed by Braxton County (85) and the host Blue Devils (97).
The Yellowjackets’ Kathy Sites finished in fifth place with a final time of 19:37, while Lexie Winn (13th, 20:42), Sylvia Harris (25th, 21:59) and Kina Engle (34th, 22:34) also had good results.
Anna Bennett (10th, 20:16) was one of three St. Mary’s runners to finish in the top 30, along with Natalie Bertrag (16th, 21:22) and Maddie Smith (24th, 21:58). Savannah Byrd (37th, 22:46) and Avery Bennett (47th, 23:18) also scored for the Blue Devils.
John Marshall’s Zoe Zervos, the runner-up as a 2023 freshman, finished fourth with a time of 18 minutes, 43 seconds. Buckhannon Upshur’s Samantha Shreve took third place in 17 minutes, 55 seconds.
Rounding out the top 10 were Hampshire’s Bailey Nichols (sixth, 19:58), Oak Glen’s Lacey Cameron (seventh, 20:01), Doddridge County’s Bailey Holden (eighth, 20:06) and Braxton County’s Laura Cain (ninth, 20:09).
Also finishing in the top 30 from the region were South Harrison’s Savannah Holden (11th, 20:19) and Dakota James (20th, 21:38), Doddridge County’s Cassidy Cumberledge (14th, 20:53) and Kaitlyn Key (26th, 22:03) and Braxton County teammates Bethany Payne (19th, 21:32), Reece Carpenter (27th, 22:04) and Teagan Huff (29th, 22:10).
Tyler Consolidated’s Amos Kimble won in 15:29, beating runner-up Julian Johnson of Williamstown’s 16:07. Grafton’s MJ Niggemeyer (16:16), Silver Knight’s Travis Moore (16:24) and Doddridge County’s Carter Sias (16:25) rounded out the top five.
St. Mary’s had Max Douch (6th, 16:29), Bryce Bills (21st, 17:17) and Parker Barnes (29th, 17:35) all finish in the top 30, while Reece Westfall (31st, 17:38) and Jay Mort (41st, 18:09) also scored to give the Blue Devils a total of 119 points, three more than runner-up Charleston Catholic.
Grafton (144), Williamstown (150) and Buckhannon-Upshur (171) placed third through fifth.
Rounding out the top 10 following Douch were Hampshire’s Wyatt Thorne (16:36), Williamstown’s Will Coyner (16:39), Charleston Catholic’s Will Barton (16:41) and Buckhannon-Upshur’s Jack Wagie (16:43).
The Bulldogs’ Samuel Gola (16th, 17:00), Magnolia’s Landen Davis (18th, 17:13), Ravenswood’s Gavin Wilburn (24th, 17:24), Wood County Christian’s Koa Navarro (25th, 17:25) and Silver Knight’s Brody Nice (27th, 17:27) were the only other area Sinklads to finish in the top 30.
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