At the Doddridge County Park on Sept. 15, the Tyler Consolidated High and Middle school boys and girls Cross Country teams competed in the Doddridge Invitational meet. The 5k competition took the runners through the beautiful countryside of Doddridge County.

The athletes competing also had to face the grueling hill affectionately named “Big Bertha” as well as two creek crossings.

Twenty schools were represented in the high school race with 126 competitors. Freshman Lauran Seckman again was the first Lady Knight for Tyler Consolidated finishing in 63rd place with a time of 26:57. Jennifer Yost was close behind in 69th position with her time of 27:12. Chelsea Wells finished the 3.1 mile course in 28:52 in 83rd place, while Emily Wells came over the line in 32:47 and Ashley Pfohl finishing with a time of 34:49.

Devon Thompson was the lone Knight in the boys’ race, finishing with a time of 27:26.

Overall, St. Marys High School freshman, Maggie Drazba, took the top prize at the class AA meet in the girls 5k, finishing with a time of 20:40.

Justin Miller of Buckhannon-Upshur High School finished first in the boys class AA division in 17:51.

In the middle school race with 118 runners and 15 schools represented, Caroline Bantug was the first Lady Knight over the line in 38th place with a time of 14:34. Emily Strickler was able to overtake many runners on the final hill to finish in 58th place with her time of 15:24.

Ryan Dalrymple was alone in the Knight starting box this week. With 121 athletes in the middle school boys’ race, Ryan finished the 2 mile course in 56th position with a time of 13:53.

The Knights traveled to Ripley on Sept. 19 to compete in the Covered Bridge Invitational at Cedar Lakes.

101 girls participated in the High School contest, with St. Marys Drazba placing first overall in 20.02. For the Lady Knights, Jennifer Yost placed 47th overall in 26.00; Chelsea Wells turned in a time of 27.13, finishing 69th; Lauren Seckman placed 78th in 28.35; and Ashley Pfohl placed 95th in 35.33.

In the varsity boys race, Ripley’s Jack Whitney took first overall in 17.27 over the 112 participants in the event. Silver Knight B.J. Eastham placed 95th in 24.40 and Devon Thompson timed out at 27.38 in 107th place.

In the girls middle school division, Caroline Bantug placed 30th of the 93 girls participating in a time of 14.19. Emily Strickler came in 42nd in 15.12.

Consolidated’s Dylan Reynolds placed fourth overall in the middle school boys event with an impressive finish of 11:22 of the 102 boys participating. Ryan Dalrymple finished in 13.42 in 53rd place; and Austin VanDine placed 91st in 15.59.

The teams are scheduled to compete again at Grand Vue Park in Moundsville on Sept. 26 to compete in the John Marshall Invitational.