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Area teams measure up at Cougar Co-Ed cross country meet
ROACHDALE -- Sometimes you just need to have fun, and that's what three of Putnam County's cross teams did.
North Putnam held its annual Co-Ed Cross Country race Tuesday and this wasn't your typical race. Each team consisted of either three boys and two girls or the other way around and their combined time was the team's total.
"This is just a fun race for everyone to run," NPHS Coach Kevin Lutes said. "This race was started so that the schools that were having a hard time fielding a complete boys or girl team, like we found ourselves earlier this year, could run a race as a team."
Many of the teams at the meet used the race as a measuring stick to see where their runners were.
"Even though this isn't your traditional cross country meet, it's still a 3.1 mile race, so it gives you an idea of where you are at," SPHS Coach Brian Gardner said.
As a team, Cascade was the team to beat. The Cadets took the first three places and won the meet with a score of 60 points, but inside the county was another story.
South Putnam had the best finish as a team from Putnam County, with Dillon Hayes, Tanner Barr and Paul Rubino going 10th, 11th and 12th, respectively. The Eagles finished fourth with a score of 102.
"I thought our guys competed fairly well," Gardner said. "Right now Cascade is ahead of us, but we are getting there and we are competing and that is what you want at this point.
"This kind of gives us a measuring stick for the rest of the year," Gardner said.
"This was our first 5K run and they did well," SPHS girls coach Elaine Bye said. "We have four freshmen on our team and for their first meet, they had a solid start."
Cloverdale was right on the Eagles' tail feathers, thanks to Joe Rumley. Rumley finished ninth overall with a time of 19:39, but first amongst the county runners and paced the Clovers fifth place finish with a 108 points.
"I can't complain about this team this season," CHS Coach Katie McLaughlin said. "Both of the girls that were running in this event were freshmen.
"Amilia had a great run and Joe finished ninth overall and first in the county and that was wonderful," McLaughlin said.
North Putnam finished last in eighth place with 169 points, but Lutes was still happy with his team.
"Dalton Spear was our No.1 finisher toady and he ran a dcent time," Lutes said. "He is still learning how to race and the other runners knocked a lot of time off their previous time, so we are getting better," Lutes said.
At North Putnam
Cascade "1" 60, Monrovia 97, Eminence 99, South Putnam "1" 102, Cloverdale 108, Cascade "2" 117, South Putnam "2" 146, North Putnam 169
South Putnam 1 -- 10. Hayes 19:48, 11. Tanner Barr 19:50, 12. Rubino 19:57, 14. Arnold 20:30, 34 Beasley 25:02
Cloverdale -- 9. Rumley 19:39, 16. Chambers 20:34, 24. Nally 22:49, 26. Hesselgrave 22:59, 33. Monnett 24:39
South Putnam 2 -- 15. Kelly 20:31, 21. Breuer 22:01, 27. Rudolph 23:09, 36. Bookwalter 25:35, 39. Cox 25:45, 44. Birt 30:22
North Putnam -- 18. Spears 20:51, 30. Preecs 23:53, 37. High 25:36, 41. Salyers 26:53, 45. M. Preecs 40:05.