ELY- Over 400 high school and junior high cross country runners swarmed the Ely Golf Course last Thursday for the annual Ely Invitational meet to run under a partly-cloudy sky and favorably cool temperatures.
The home team acquitted themselves well in the varsity races, with the Ely girls placing fourth among nine teams and the boys taking fifth among 13 schools.
Anna-Britta Helmer of Duluth East paced her team to the championship by winning the girls 5K in a time of 19:07.
Molly Brophy led the way for the Wolves with a sixth-place effort, notching a time of 19:41.3. Mattie Lindsay finished 21st in the field of 130 runners with a time of 20.53.6. Other Ely runners who finished in the top third of the field included Isabella Macho, 32nd in 22:04.7, Katy Brophy, 39th in 22:26.7, and Elsa Ellerbroek, 44th in 22:34.6. Brandy Strange, Anna Ziegenmeyer, Anna Dunn, Lillie O’Neil, Lucy Dunn, Aila Harding, and Ella Littler also competed for the Wolves.
In a heated duel in the boys race, Jack Kendall of Rock Ridge narrowly edged Mark Goettel of Duluth East for a three-second win with a time of 16:23.1. Duluth East claimed the team crown.
Caid Chittum paced the Wolves by finishing 19th in the field of 186 with a time of 17:50.2. Six other Ely runners placed in the top third of the race, including Silas Solum, 30th in 18:15.1, Otto Devine, 36th in 18:33.9, Mason Kurnava, 38th in 18:37.1, Eli Olson, 45th in 18:47.7, Brooks Brenny, 55th in 19:15.1, and Dylan Durkin, 60th in 19:27.1. Milo McClelland, Oliver Hohenstein, Aksel Skustad, Trenton Bishop, Mason Molden, and Max Cochran rounded out the Ely contingent.
In the junior high boys 2.6K race, Wyatt Devine narrowly missed out on claiming the championship, finishing second with a time of 8:46.1. In the junior high girls division, Mirabella Lepisto was the top finisher for the Wolves, placing sixth with a time of 11:04.5.