WOOSTER — Mount Vernon’s boys and girls cross country teams rounded out the regular season Saturday with strong performances at the Ohio Cardinal Conference championship meet in Wooster.
The girls team finished second to Lexington, which captured its 14th straight OCC title by sweeping the top four individual places.
Lady Lex tallied 18 team points, while Mount Vernon finished with 66, Wooster finished with 67 and West Holmes finished with 72. Ashland (143), New Philadelphia (170) and Madison (202) rounded out the team standings Saturday.
Lexington senior Emma Wise placed first overall with a time of 18:44. She was flanked by teammates Brailey Slone (second, 18:52); Elyana Weaver (third, 19:00); and Kenley Miller (fourth, 19:04).
Lexington’s fifth and final scoring runner, Maddie Haring, placed eighth with a time of 19:59.
Mount Vernon was led by senior Sophie Zoldak, who finished fifth overall at 19:13. Freshman Lucy Rush was right behind her, coming in sixth at 19:40.
Freshman Amelia Martin placed 15th for the Yellow Jackets with a time of 20:28, while senior Alex Couch finished 18th with a time of 20:52. Junior Hannah Hofferberth placed 22nd, rounding out Mount Vernon’s scoring five with a time of 21:11.
Mount Vernon’s second-place team finish marked an improvement from last year, when the Jackets placed fifth. The team will now shift its focus to the postseason, with the district meet Saturday at Hilliard Darby High School. The top five teams and 20 individuals from that race will qualify for regionals.
Mount Vernon’s boys team, meanwhile, placed fourth at Saturday’s OCC meet.
Lexington won it for the first time since 2018 with 58 team points. The Minutemen outpaced defending champion Wooster (72 points), Ashland (73), Mount Vernon (82), New Philadelphia (101), West Holmes (116) and Madison (214) to claim the crown.
Lexington’s Denise Benson was named OCC Coach of the Year for both boys and girls Saturday, following the program’s sweep of the conference meet.
West Holmes senior Zeke Galbraith took first place individually in the boys race with a time of 15:54. And New Philadelphia freshman Marcus Adelman placed second at 15:56. But Lexington dominated the rest of the race’s front pack, with three runners finishing in the top 10 overall.
Freshman Latrell Hughes led the way for the Minutemen, placing third with a time of 16:16. He was flanked by sophomore Chance Basilone, who finished sixth at 16:27, and sophomore Joey Aquino, who placed ninth at 16:39.
Freshman Lincoln Rice finished 17th with a time of 17:01, and senior Alexander Heichel placed 23rd at 17:36 to round out Lexington’s scoring five.
Mount Vernon was led by senior Matt Salvucci, who finished fifth overall with a time of 16:24. Senior Eric Marofsky placed 12th for the Yellow Jackets at 16:48, and junior Logan Eggert finished 14th at 16:52.
Seniors Jojo Ernst (25th, 17:43) and Jonathan Rutter (26th, 17:44) rounded out Mount Vernon’s scoring five.
The Yellow Jackets placed fourth at last year’s OCC meet as well. They will now enter the postseason, with the district meet Saturday at Hilliard Darby High School. The top five teams and 20 individuals from that race will qualify for regionals.
