WELLSTON — The Washington Blue Lion cross country teams began the 2023 season at the Wellston Golden Rocket Invitational Saturday, Aug. 26.
The Blue Lion high school boys team finished eighth out of 12 teams with a point placement total of 175.
Vinton County won with 48 points, followed by Athens with 60 and Beaver Eastern third with 103 points.
For Washington, Avery Wightman finished 10th overall out of a field of 135 total runners in a time of 18:30.95.
Senior Evan McPherson of Federal Hocking won with a time of 16:36.49.
Washington’s Wyatt Putney was 33rd in 20:11.48; Nathan Reed placed 54th in 21:48.52; Channing Wightman was 62nd in 22:20.55; Jeston Everhart placed 70th with a time of 22:49.91; T.J. Ooten placed 88th in 23:39.67; David Bennett was 93rd in 23:54.69; Randon Stolzenburg was 99th in 24:18.53; Trace Bartruff finished 101st in 24:23.32; Casey Hott was 103rd in 24:35.32 and Ethan Miteff was 118th in 27:05.35.
Washington’s girls team had three competitors at Wellston Saturday.
Addison Weaver was 70th in 32:01.08, Kaylee Boehm was 81st in 35:51.52 and June Maddox was 84th in 36.49.83.
There were a total of 89 runners in the event.
Athens High School had the top two finishers while another placed eighth, followed by runners in 11th and 12th overall and still another was 15th.
Team points gave Athens a very fine winning placement score of 22.
For Athens, sophomore Landis Corrigan won in a time of 20:38.82 and another sophomore, Olivia Smart, placed second in 20:40.97.
Vinton County was second with 70 and River Valley was third with 76 points.
Washington had two middle school girls place in the top 10 at the meet.
Anna Tackage was eighth out of 48 total runners in 15:02.60 and Eva Bennett was ninth in 15:03.30.
Andrea Corrigan of Athens won with a time of 12:11.60.
Athens won the middle school girls event with 21 placement points.
Washington had five runners in the middle school boys meet.
Caleb Atkinson placed 19th out of 74 runners in 13:36.46.
Jonah Weaver was 22nd in 13:52.29; Matthew Jones placed 28th in 14:09.80; Colton Osborne was 38th in 14;43.26; Braedan Curl was 67th in 18:22.81.
Washington finished fifth out of seven teams with 115 placement points.
Joshua Szolosi of Athens led his team to the win in 11:51.89.
Washington is at Circleville Saturday morning.
High School Boys Team Scores
Vinton County, 1st, 48; Athens, 2nd, 60; Beaver Eastern, 3rd, 103rd; Wheelersburg, 4th, 135; Oak Hill, 5th, 144; Southern, 6th, 166; Huntington, 7th, 167; Washington, 8th, 175; River Valley, 9th, 201; Paint Valley, 10th, 214; Symmes Valley, 11th, 312; Minford, 12th, 334
High School Girls Team Scores
Athens, 1st, 22; Vinton County, 2nd, 70; River Valley, 3rd, 76; Huntington, 4th, 84; Wellston, 5th, 130; Southern, 6th, 144; Symmes Valley, 7th, 188
Middle School Girls Team Scores
Athens, 1st, 21; Bishop Flaget, 2nd, 42; Symmes Valley, 3rd, 72; Huntington, 4th, 87
Middle School Boys Team Scores
Athens, 1st, 28; Wheelersburg, 2nd, 82; Vinton County, 3rd, 85; Paint Valley, 4th, 92; Washington, 5th, 115; Bishop Flaget, 6th, 120; Federal Hocking, 7th, 155.
