South Gallia’s Jessica Luther competes in the girls high school race as part of Saturday’s Tri-Valley Conference championship cross country meet at Vinton County High School.
Paul Boggs/OVP Sports
McARTHUR, Ohio —To no one’s surprise, the Eastern Lady Eagles easily captured the Hocking Division team championship of the annual Tri-Valley Conference cross country meet on Saturday — held this season at Vinton County High School.
In addition, a pair of Meigs County standouts swept the Hocking Division individual championships — as Eastern junior Jessica Cook claimed the girls race, while Southern junior Connor Wolfe won the boys title.
Cook completed the 5K course in 20 minutes and 46 seconds — the only runner of the 30 among the Hocking girls to finish the race in under 20 minutes.
The Eagles, one of only three girls clubs to post a team score in the Hocking, placed their top five runners among the top seven — and all seven among the top 14.
Eastern earned a team score of 16, while Southern — with six runners — finished with 55.
For the Lady Eagles, this is their sixth consecutive Hocking Division championship — and the second straight individual title for Cook.
As a freshman, she was the Hocking Division race runner-up.
The only other Hocking girls squad to record a team score was Federal Hocking, which had 65.
After Cook crossed the finish line, three Lady Eagles earned the third, fourth and fifth Hocking spots — with senior Laura Pullins placing third (21:44), sophomore Ally Durst finishing fourth (21:51), and senior Taylor Parker taking fifth (21:56).
The top five runners in each race — for both boys and girls in both the Hocking and Ohio Divisions — earn all-TVC honors.
The Lady Eagles’ fifth score was junior Kaitlyn Hawk, who posted a 22:13 to place seventh.
The Lady Eagles’ other two scores were sophomore Rhiannon Morris in ninth (23:35) and freshman Lexa Hayes in 14th (24:09).
For the Lady Tornadoes, freshman Sydney Roush registered the highest individual finish — crossing eighth in 23 minutes and 29 seconds.
Southern then had three runners place 17th, 18th and 19th — with freshman Baylee Wolfe in 17th (25:31), sophomore Madison Lisle in 18th (25:41) and sophomore Mallory Johnson in 19th (25:52).
Rounding out the Purple and Gold were sophomore Kathryn Matson in 26th (28:55) and freshman Addie Matson in 30th (33:05).
The South Gallia Lady Rebels were represented by three runners — including the 11th and 12th-place finishers Jessica Luther (11th in 23:55) and Oliva Hornsby (12th in 23:56).
South Gallia senior Autumn Norris placed 25th in 27 minutes and 35 seconds.
On the boys side, Wolfe won the race — out of 28 TVC-Hocking runners — in 17 minutes and 35 seconds.
The Tornadoes and Eagles only had three runners compete, while the Rebels’ representation was sophomore Tristan Janey (24th in 23:15).
Wolfe was followed across the finish line by three Trimble runners, before fellow Southern junior Larry Dunn took fifth in 18:10.
Wolfe was last season’s individual runner-up.
The only other Tornado to take part was sophomore Tyler Pavich, who was 15th in the Hocking in 20:32.
Eastern’s only runners were Colton Reynolds (6th in 18:42), Eion Marcinko (10th in 19:48) and Matt Clingenpeel (11th in 20:06).
Trimble, with a perfect score of 15, was the only full boys team in the TVC-Hocking.
Paul Boggs can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2106
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