Alayna Franson 2^nd overall

STAR JOURNAL REPORT

The Rhinelander varsity cross country teams hosted their only home meet of the season Thursday when they also competed in their second meet for 2016.

The Hodags placed fourth for both the boys and girls in the “senior division,” in which seven teams scored in the standings.

In the girls 5,000-meter race, RHS junior Alayna Franson placed second overall in 19 minutes and 57.5 seconds. Her time was 18.8 seconds off the winning pace of Wausau West sophomore Brooke Jaworski.

The other Hodag girl to finish in the top 10 was Anna Sturzl, who placed ninth in 21:22.7. RHS’s three other runners whose finishes counted toward the team score included: Grace Quinn, 26th in 23:34.4; Carmen Incha, 55th in 25:01.1; and Payton Hartman, 64th in 25:33.7.

D.C. Everest topped the team standings at 46, followed by Wausau West (54), Wausau East (78), the Hodags (111), Merrill (121), Northland Pines (152) and Antigo (170).

The three teams competing in the “junior division” were topped by Crandon (33), followed by Three Lakes (40) and Laona-Wabeno (53).

BRIDGER FLORY 8TH

From right, the Hodags’ Bridger Flory (4551) and Robert Ritchie (4556) round a corner together in Thursday’s Hodag Cross Country Invitational.

Wausau East senior Axel Treinen won the 5,000-meter boys race in 16:44.1. Crandon senior Tanner Moris, whose team competed in the junior division, finished second overall in 16:50.1.

The Hodag boys had one top-10 individual finish with sophomore Bridger Flory placing eighth in 18:21.7. RHS junior Markus Johnson was close behind Flory and placed 11th in 18:23.1, followed by Robert Ritchie (18th in 18:50.6), Tyler Kolassa (21st in 19:02.2 and Daniel Ritchie (37th in 19:59.8) as the other RHS boys whose finishes counted toward the team score.

Northland Pines topped the senior division teams standings at 48, followed by D.C. Everest (57), Wausau East (61), the Hodags (83), Merrill (142), Antigo (147) and Wausau West (153).

Crandon topped the junior division with a score of 19, followed by Laona-Wabeno (44).

The complete race results can be found online at: www.accuracetiming.com/schedule.html

RHS’s next meet is scheduled for Sept. 6 at Wittenberg-Birnamwood High School.