Staff
The Muskie cross-country running team came blasting off the starting line yesterday.
Three members claimed first-place finishes at the “Can’t Catch Me” St. Thomas Aquinas Cross-Country and Mountain Biking Race yesterday in Kenora to kick off the NorWOSSA season.
Syd Beck was tops in senior girls’ division in a time of 21:03 over the 5.4-km course to lead a Fort High sweep of the top five placings in the seven-runner field.
Kennedi Handberg and Gabi Peters had what Muskie coach John Dutton called their best races ever in finishing second (28:43) and third (29:20), respectively.
Jessica Steele, in her first meet back as a Muskie after not competing the past two seasons, grabbed fourth place (31:38).
Tory Beaudry was hindered by a severe cramp but still pushed through for fifth (32:55).
Meanwhile, rookie Muskie runner Liam George cruised to victory in the 10-runner junior boys’ field a distant memory.
He completed the 5.4-km distance in 21:03 to win by more than two minutes over runner-up Xavier Wickham of the Kenora Broncos (23:15).
Muskie Romeo Deafy wound up fifth (25:16) while teammate Ben Olson took sixth place (25:21).
And Tori Toriseva had no equal in the seven-runner junior girls’ division.
She charged to victory in the four-km race with a clocking of 19:21, beating second-place Rheanna MacDougall of the host St. Thomas Aquinas Saints by 21 seconds.
Shaelyn Tuesday, also hampered by a cramp during the race, battled her way to sixth place (29:25).
The Grade 7-8 girls’ division, the biggest of the meet with 25 runners, saw Muskie Jaida Norris dash to sixth-place finish (8:25).
Teammate Grace Kowal came in eighth (8:53).
Fellow Muskies Emma Toriseva (9:37) and Aurora Hutton (9:39) finished 13th and 14th, respectively.
Emily Harp suffered a turned ankle during the race but soldiered on to finish 23rd (14:04).
The Muskies’ next meet is the annual “Turkey Trot” set for Oct. 6 in Dryden.
