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Hillsboro cross country competes at Westby, Cashton
paige stull
Hillsboros Paige Stull closes in on the first mile marker during Fridays race at the 15-team Cashton Invitational. - photo by Nate Beier photo/gx3media.smugmug.com

WESTBY–The Hillsboro cross country team opened the season last Tuesday at the Ken Trott Westby Invitational.

Sophomore Annie Haas finished 14th in the girls’ with a time of 17:18.4. The Westby course was 4,000 meters, 1,000 meters than the standard distance of 5,000 meters.

Haas and the Hillsboro girls placed seventh out of eight qualifying teams at the 13-team event.

Senior Destiny Shore finished 36th at 19:06.7 and freshman Paige Stull was close behind at 38th in 19:13.8.

Sophomore Carly Krajco (56th, 20:29.3), and juniors Belinda Griffin (85th, 23:04.8) and Kelly Parish (98th, 24:44.5) rounded out the Lady Tigers’ varsity lineup.

Westby sophomore Elana Schmidt breezed to the girls’ individual title in 15:28.8 and led the Norse to the team title.

La Crosse Aquinas (61) finished 13 points behind the home team in the girls’ varsity race.

Cross county newcomer sophomore Dacoda Wells paced the Hillsboro and junior veteran Zach O’Hair paced the Hillsboro boys, who finished fifth with 143 points.

Westby edged Aquinas 55–61 to win the boys’ title and complete the team sweep.

Wells raced to a 15th-place finish with a time of 14:34.8.

O’Hair finished 19th at 14:47.1.

Senior Skyler Fisher (28th, 15:31.9), sophomore Drew Bisarek (37th, 15:38.6), and newcomers Cameron Haas (44th, 15:56.6) and Dawson Cordner (56th, 16:39.4) rounded out the Tigers’ varsity lineup.

Westby senior Spencer Oftedahl won the boys’ individual title on his home course in 13:05.3.

Last Friday, the Hillsboro Tigers traveled to Cashton for the 15-team Cashton Invitational.

Wells turned in the Tigers’ top individual performance with a ninth-place finish on the traditional 5,000-meter course in 19:21.

Wells led the Hillsboro boys (103) to third-place finish behind Westby (34) and Viroqua (34).

O’Hair also finished in the top 20, placing 15th in 19:42.

The shorthanded Hillsboro girls, who were without Haas, placed sixth with 192 points.

The Westby girls completed the team sweep, easily defeating Viroqua, 32–62.

Hillsboro will return to action today at the Viroqua Invitational.