Hillsboro MS boys earn FAC cross-country title

The final race of the Frontier Athletic Conference meet Saturday saw the Hillsboro Middle School boys locked in a battle with Jackson Middle School for the conference championship. As the race heated up, the sprinkles turned into a downpour, with several runners slipping and sliding on the wet course. By the end of the race, the rain had stopped, and Hillsboro edged Jackson for the 2023 FAC Championship.
 
Leading the way for Indians was FAC Middle School Runner of the Year Alexander Read. Locked in a tight race with teammate Mason Rinal, Read sprinted to the finish to earn top honors with a time of 12:50, just seven seconds ahead of Rinal.

Rinal, who finished in second place with a time of 12:57, also earned All-FAC honors.

One place from All-FAC honors was Trenton Gulley. Gulley ran a 13:43, which earned him an eighth-place finish.
 
Coach Ben Young was excited about his team’s success and the efforts of his top three runners. “Our boys had their best meet of the year,” Young said. “We had Alex and Mason finish first and second and were only separated by seven seconds, and Trenton put together his best meet race of the year on the toughest course of the year.”
 
Shortly after Gulley’s finish, two more Indians finished the course. Luke Letts ran a 14:15, earning a 14th place finish, while Tyler Bender earned 16th with a 14:38. The final runner to finish for the Indians was Robert Hanson. Hanson sprinted across the line at 16:51 to finish in 23rd place.
 
“Luke looked great today and he truly left everything on the course,” Young said. “Tyler and Robert really pushed themselves today. Their effort, especially on the back half of the race, really propelled us to victory.”
 
The middle school girls race was held just before the boys event. As the gun fired to start the race, gray clouds moved in, and it started to sprinkle.
 
Leading the young girl runners were Parker Wilkin and Emarey Schurman. After running the slippery course, Wilkin sprinted to the line for a time of 16:27 and finished in ninth place.

Just seven seconds behind Wilkin was Schurman. Schurman earned 10th place for her efforts and recorded a run of 16:34. Hillsboro’s final runner was Abriann Anderson, who finished the course in 18:35 (20th place).
 
Unfortunately, the girls team did not have enough runners to qualify for team points. However, Coach Fawn Girard was pleased with the qualities that each runner exhibited during the race.
 
“Our middle school girls really gave everything they had,” Girard said. “Parker Wilkin got pinched in at the start but made up for it at the finish line and gave it her all, collapsing with jelly legs. Emarey with her enthusiastic charge all the way through the race even with a fall, and Abbey pushing up the hills with all her might. The girls did amazing and continue to improve and make their school and coaches proud.” 

The middle school teams will conclude their seasons on Sunday as they compete in the OHSAA Middle School Invitational at Fortress Obetz. The girls run at 10:35 a.m., and the boys run at 1:30 p.m.