By Cort Reynolds

VAN WERT__The Bluffton High School boys and girls cross country teams each finished fourth in the Northwest Conference championship meet at the Van Wert County Fairgrounds on Saturday, Oct. 17.

Gatchel paces Pirate girls
Junior Xandra Gatchel was the top Pirate finisher in the 43-girl race. She crossed the line seventh with a time of 20:54.4.

Sophomore Tessa Tarplee came in 12th in 22:16.1. Sophomore Georgia Hagen ended up 18th in 23:14.5.

Junior Zaeda Hermiller finished 24th in 24:03.7. Senior Tala Gipson came in 35th in 26:19.1. Sophomore Jora Boisvert finished 43rd in 33:19.6.

Lancer Maeleigh Evans finished first in 19:10.9.

Lincolnview won the five-team girls league crown with 36 points. Grove came in second with 54 points, followed by Crestview (77), Bluffton (81) and LCC (95).

Top 10 NWC Girls Individual Finishers

1. Maeleigh Evans (Lincolnview) - 19:10
2. Kylee Korte (Allen East) - 19:40
3. Emily Heth (Crestview) - 20:34
4. Kassidy Hammons (Lincolnview) - 20:36
5. Rae Newman (LCC) - 20:38
6. Hannah Brunk (Spencerville) - 20:40
7. Xandra Gatchel (Bluffton) - 20:54 
8. Alexa Kamphaus (Grove) - 21:15
9. Josie Miller (Lincolnview) - 21:21
10. Claire Koch (Grove) - 21:22

Essinger paces Bluffton boys

Junior Levin Essinger finished 12th in the 53-runner boys race with a time of 17:53.6 to pace Bluffton.

Pirate sophomore Atticus Prothro came in 13th right behind him with a time of 18:01.2. Junior Toby Clevidence ended up 21st in 18:38.3.

Sophomore Micah DeMarco crossed the line 35th in 19:55.9. Ian Scott finished 40th in 20:23.9 as the fifth Pirate scorer.

Knight Derek Young won the boys race with a time of 15:48.

Crestview won the boys team title with 25 points. Columbus Grove came in a distant second with 59 points, while Lincolnview finished third (68).

The Pirate boys tallied 104 points to beat out Lima Central Catholic (140) and Allen East (154).

Top 10 NWC Boys Individual Finishers

1. Derek Young (Crestview) - 15:48 
2. Caiden Squillante (Grove) - 16:18
3. Zach Bryan (Grove) - 16:37
4. Kale Vining (Crestview) - 16:56
5. Tanner Braun (Spencerville) - 17:02
6. Andy Heth (Crestview) - 17:06
7. Aaron Sawyer (Lincolnview) - 17:11
8. Caleb Thomas (Crestview) - 17:32
9. Hudson Perrott (Crestview) - 17:36
10. Luke Sawmiller (Crestview) - 17:44

NEXT IN CROSS COUNTRY
The district meet is Saturday, Oct. 24, with regionals set for Oct. 31.