RHS boys 5th, girls 6th in large team standings

STAR JOURNAL REPORT

The girls race for first place stayed close from start to finish at Thursday’s morning Hodag Invitational.

Rhinelander High School senior Alayna Franson and Wausau West junior Brooke Jaworski stayed together throughout the 5,000-meter course with Jaworski leading much of the race before being passed up near the end by Franson and Jaworski pulling back in front near the finish to win in 20 minutes, 1.1 seconds. Franson ended up runner-up in 20:04.3. Wausau East senior Mariah Haight was a distant third in 20:59.9.

Wausau West also won the girls team title among the larger schools at the meet with the top score of 42, nine points ahead of D.C. Everest (51), followed by Wausau East (72), Merrill (124), Northland Pines (136), RHS (140) and Antigo (168).

Franson was the only Hodag girl to finish in the top 10 and receive an individual medal. RHS’s other four girls whose finishes counted toward the team score included: junior Alexandria Fugle, 29^th in 25:34.1; junior Claire Bowman, 34^th in 26:54.6; sophomore Lexis Morrison, 37^th in 27:40.7; and sophomore Jenna Younker, 38^th in 27:53.

From right, the Hodags’ Markus Johnson ((521) and D.C. Everest’s Alex Falkowski (431) sprint to the finish in Thursday’s Hodag Invite.

D.C EVEREST WINS BOYS RACE

In the boys race, D.C. Everest had four runners finish in the top 10 en route to winning the team title among the larger schools with 30 points, followed by Wausau West (59), Wausau East (82), Northland Pines (47), RHS (129), Merrill (160) and Antigo (176).

Wausau East senior Jordan Straub placed first in the boys race in 17:21.1. Two D.C. Everest runners filled out the other top-three sports with junior Isaiah Winowiski second in 17:36.7 and senior Zach Ostrowski third in 18:00.7.

The best showing by the Hodag boys came from senior Markus Johnson, who placed 18^th among the larger school runners in 19:28.5. RHS’s other four boys whose finishes counted toward the team score included: senior Joseph Schmitz, 21^st in 19:44.5; freshman Jacob Weddle, 26^th in 20:11.7; sophomore Abe Laggis, 30^th in 20:35.6; and senior Quinn Werner, 34^th in 20:53.7.

The Hodags’ next meet is an invitational Sept. 5 hosted by Wittenberg-Birnamwood.