Lions win season opener at Elizabeth Broughton Invitational
The Fairfield High School boys and girls cross-country teams traveled to Marietta Saturday, where the teams competed in the 15th annual Elizabeth Broughton Invitational held at Broughton Nature and Wildlife Education Area.
The boys captured the overall title with 20 schools competing, with Fairfield being one of the smaller schools in the field.
The Fairfield Lions boys team scored a low-score of 56 points to runner-up Warren HS with 122.
St. Mary's, W.Va. captured the bronze with a score of 142.
Fairfield also was victorious over Parkersburg South, Marietta, Linsly, Caldwell, Charleston Catholic, Williamstown, St. Albans, Wheeling Central Catholic, Fort Frye, New Lexington, Tyler Consolidated, Union Local, Magnolia, Meadowbrook, Belpre, Waterford and Reedsville Eastern.
[[In-content Ad]]
"Coaches Raymond Friend, Carol Grate, Kesia McCoy and I are very pleased with early season performance with a very young squad," volunteer coach Bill Mangus said. "We were seeking a meet that would be an early season challenge of possible regional competition, and we found it in Marietta.
"We are grateful and fortunate for the local board, administration, parents and community of Leesburg who supported our fundraising Glow Run, which made this trip possible."
Leading the way for Fairfield was sophomore Matthew Mangus, who finished seventh with a time of 17:39. He was followed by junior Wyatt Evans in 11th with a time of 18:07.
Sophomore Noah Richmond placed 13th with a time of 18:13, while freshman Austin Setty was 14th with a time of 18:21.
Junior Trent Swisher finished in 16th with a time of 18:28, junior Dillon Burley finished in 22nd with a time of 18:47 and rounding out the Top 7 was sophomore Andrew Davis, finishing 25th with a time of 18:52.
Also competing were freshman Sam Buddelmeyer (33rd, 19:15), freshman Brandtson Duffie (34th, 19:16), junior Mason Cain (46th, 20:30), freshman Bennett Hodson (49th, 20:34), sophomore Nick Price (51st, 20:38), junior Jason Moeller (142nd, 27:09) and freshman Phoenix Taylor (148th, 28:11).
The Fairfield Lady Lions cross-country team also competed and finished 15th out of 16 full teams.
Leading the way was freshman Alexis Swisher in 49th place with a time of 24:01.
She was followed by freshman Sammy Shepherd in 81st place with a time of 26:07, and freshman Megan Gragg in 94th place with a time of 26:54.
Freshman Brianna Barnes finished in 131st place with a time of 30:41, followed by freshman Meadow Cunningham in 132nd place with a time of 30:53 and junior Haleigh Bates in 135th with a time of 31:52.
The high school and middle school teams will be back in action on Saturday, Sept. 5 at the Hillsboro Ohio Classic held at Liberty Park.