The Salem High cross country team was busy last week, competing in both the Houston Invitational Tuesday, Sept. 16 and the Steelville Invitational Thursday, Sept. 18.
This week the Tiger runners were slated to participate in the Belle Invitational Tuesday.
Sept. 18
The Steelville Invitational included races for varsity boys and girls, junior varsity boys and middle school boys and girls. There were 73 runners in the boys’ varsity race, 60 runners in the girls’ varsity race, 63 runners in the boys’ jayvee race, 177 boy runners in the middle school race and 97 girl runners in the middle school race.
Pacific won the boys’ varsity race with 52 points while Vienna was runner-up with 79. Salem was eighth with 205. Pacific’s Benjamin Smith was boys’ individual medalist at 17:32.9 over the 5,000-meter course. Jordin Sherman led Salem, finishing 41st at 22:47.5.
In the girls’ race Pacific won the team title with 24 points. Sullivan’s Vanessa Nolie was girls’ medalist at 22:06.7. Zoey Elliott led Salem, placing fifth overall at 23:23.9.
Steelville Invitational
5,000-Meters
Varsity
Boys
Team Standings: 1. Pacific 52, 2. Vienna 79, 3. St. James 91, 4. St. Clair 92, 5. Kingston 106, 6. Laquey 145, 7. Steelville 159, 8. Salem 205, 9. Sullivan 215.
Individual Top-3: 1. Benjamin Smith, Pacific, 17:32.9; 2. Dax Harrison, Pacific, 17:44.8; 3. Landon Rutledge, Steelville, 17:53.9.
Salem Results: 41. Jordin Sherman 22:47.5, 43. Stetson Mobray 22:57.0, 51. Nicholas Thies 23:33.2, 62. Brendan Brown 25:49.0, 68. Linkyn Atkinson 27:33.7, 69. Kobe Walker 27:35.7, 71. James Felkerson 32:20.9.
Girls
Team Standings: 1. Pacific 24, 2. Steelville 56, 3. St. Clair 66, 4. Washington 83.
Individual Top-3: 1. Vanessa Nolie, Sullivan, 22:06.7; 2. Grace Dryer, Pacific, 22:56.0; 3. Madelyn Rush, Pacific, 23:11.1.
Salem Results: 5. Zoey Elliott 23:23.9, 42. Danica Garner 30:43.7.
Middle School
2,500-Meters
Boys
Salem Results: 40. Wesley Dooley 11:48.0, 59. Jaron Utt 12:39.3, 79. Tyler Walters 13:21.1, 101. Quinnton Cooper 13:49.4, Noah Hoodenpyle 14:17.0.
Girls
Salem Result: 56. Jenna Murr 14:41.8.
Sept. 16
In the Houston Invitational there were seven schools that participated, with 37 boy runners and 18 girl runners in the varsity events.
There were four full teams in the boys’ meet. Mountain Grove was team champion with 25 points while host Houston was second with 38, Salem third with 79 and Cabool fourth with 93. Mountain Grove had the meet’s top three individual placers, with Skyler Oliphant earning medalist honors at 18:40.85. Nicholas Thies led Salem, finishing ninth overall at 21:12.99.
Houston had the lone full team in the girls’ race. Elliott finished third overall individually at 23:04.97. Houston’s Lyla Huffman was medalist at 20:39.42.
Houston Invitational
5,000-Meters
Boys
Team Standings: 1. Mountain Grove 25, 2. Houston 38, 3. Salem 79, 4. Cabool 93.
Individual Top-3: 1. Skyler Oliphant, Mtn. Grove 18:40.85; 2. Trece White, Mtn. Grove, 18:48.26; 3. Max Guilliams, Mtn. Grove, 19:08.67.
Salem Results: 9. Nicholas Thies 21:12.99, 18. Stetson Mobray 22:23.62, 20. Jordin Sherman 22:32.23, 33. Kobe Walker 29:53.06, 34. Linkyn Atkinson 30:34.69, 36. James Felkerson 33:28.10.
Girls
Team Standings: 1. Houston 15.
Individual Top-3: 1. Lyla Huffman, Houston, 20:39.42; 2. Keena Roth, Mtn. Grove, 22:51.80; 3. Zoey Elliott, Salem, 23:04.97.
Other Salem Results: 15. Danica Garner 31:27.68, 18. Clara Cooper 39.24.53.
