Staff
The Muskie cross-country running team took more than a few steps in the right direction yesterday in Dryden.
Hailey Beaudry posted a second-place finish among 26 runners in the Open Female 5km event for girls’ in Grade 9 and up, clocking in at 22:43 to finish behind Andie Wood of Dryden (21:35).
Beaudry’s performance keyed a second-place finish overall for the Muskie girls’ in the team event with 53 points, which was calculated by adding up the placings of the top four runners from each school.
Fort High’s fastest quartet also included Jessica Steele in 14th place (26:07), Tori Beaudry in 16th (26:53), and Victoria Hammond in 21st (29:08).
Savannah Chapman (25th, 31:15) and Ashley Dupuis (26th, 31:47) rounded out the Muskie competitors in the division.
Wood and her Eagles’ teammates easily captured the team competition title with 13 points.
Dryden runners Elizabeth Carter (22:56), Martina Wintle (23:16), and Gabby Gagnon (23:26) finished third through fifth, respectively, for the host contingent.
The Atikokan High School Voyageurs placed third in the girls’ team event (57 points).
In the Open Male 5km category, Fort High’s Chandler Cousineau outraced teammate Arthur Van Ael and Dryden’s Mike Braun to the finish line to claim third place in the 13-runner field by a mere second with a time of 20 minutes flat.
Van Ael held on for fourth at 20:01 while Braun settled for fifth (20:03).
Dryden’s Jacob Benson was first in 18:57, winning his own footrace against teammate Alex Urquhart, who was second (18:58).
The Eagles were the only school to qualify enough runners in the boys’ team event, totalling 14 points thanks to the efforts of Benson, Urquhart, Braun, and sixth-place finisher Jake Wickstrom (20:46).
The Muskies now turn their attention to the NWOSSAA championships next Wednesday (Oct. 23) at the Can-View Ski Trails in Thunder Bay.
