Drinka wins NG home meet, Schultz snags 5th

The Neillsville-Granton (NG) cross country team welcomed runners to its home meet at Levis-Trow Mound Recreational Area last Thursday, with a couple of boys on the team finishing in the top 25 percent of runners.

As the bright fall colors pierced through the overcast skies along the challenging 5K course, NG’s Will Drinka led the way. He took first place among the 24 participants in the boys race with a time of 19:15. His teammate Hunter Schultz was the next to cross the finish line for NG, claiming fifth place with a time of 21:03. Other NG male finishers included Jeremmiah Dorshorst, who took 11th at 22:14; Koltin Luchterhand, who claimed 16th place at 24:35; Claiton Anderson Ruskin, who finished 17th at 24:36; and Grant Slone, who placed 22nd at 32:05.

The boys tied for first place as a team with Whitehall, as both teams had 38 points. Blair-Taylor took second with 44 points.

The NG girls were led by Klarissa Canfield, who came in 16th place out of 25 runners at 27:11. Margaret Canfield was next, in 18th place at 28:24. Haylee Schultz took 20th at 29:08. The next three NG runners all finished in succession, with Savannah Dorshorst taking 23rd place at 32:24, Addison Anderson Ruskin taking 24th at 35:09 and Hannah Dorshorst taking 25th at 35:19.

The girls team took third place out of three teams with a score of 77. Other team scores were Cochrane-Fountain City, 26; and Melrose-Mindoro, 31.

Koltin Luchterhand (left) and Claiton Anderson Ruskin go down a hill at Neillsville-Granton’s home invitational held at Levis Mound on Sept 28. Luchterhand took 16th place overall with Anderson Ruskin right behind him in 17th place.

VALORIE BRECHT/STAFF PHOTO