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MARQUETTE — Emily Paupore of Negaunee broke a course record while winning the girls individual cross country title at the Marquette County Meet at Presque Isle Park in Marquette on Thursday afternoon.

Paupore clocked 19 minutes, 9.5 seconds, knocking off the 2015 record held by the Redettes’ Lindsey Rudden over the same course when she completed it in 19:23.

But Marquette still came away with dominating team victories in both girls and boys meets.

Negaunee's Emily Paupore crosses the finish line setting a course record while winning the girls varsity cross country title at the Marquette County Meet held at Presque Isle Park in Marquette on Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017. (Journal photo by Steve Brownlee)

The Redettes finished with 29 points, while Negaunee was runner-up with 43. Ishpeming had 66 and Westwood 103.

In the boys meet, Marquette scored 30 points compared to second-place Ishpeming’s 45. Negaunee was third with 50, Westwood had 120 and Gwinn did not have enough runners for a team score.

The story of the day, however, was Paupore’s course record.

The Miners’ sophomore speedster said she had to pace herself and the chilly 50-degree weather helped.

“I felt good right in the middle of the race,” she said. “Then I told myself ‘I’m just going to take off right now.’ I tried to keep my pace up and got a little tired.

“I think the cold weather actually helped. I like running in the cold more than the heat because you get a little bit of wind.”

Negaunee head coach Lisa Bigalk said Paupore’s record was a highlight.

“It was very exciting and she had a great race today,” she said. “To set a course record after Lindsey Rudden, that’s very impressive.”

Rudden has gone on to join Michigan State University in the same sport. After redshirting last year, Rudden won the Spartans’ first race of the season at the Jeff Drenth Memorial at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant last Friday.

Bigalk added that her team had a good performance overall.

“Most of them improved over last week,” she said. “That’s what we’re aiming for, improvement throughout the season so we can be our best at the (Upper Peninsula) finals.”

Clara Johnson finished in second place after her teammate for the Miners.

Marquette’s top finishers were Erica Asmus in third place in 19:47.2.

In the boys race, Negaunee’s Colton Yesney won in 16:01.4, exactly 14 seconds ahead of runner-up Garrett Rudden of MSHS, who clocked 16:15.4. Rudden’s teammate Luke Rambo was third another 19 seconds back.

Marquette head coach Kyle Detmers said he was proud of his team’s performance.

“They did really good today,” he said. “The girls from Negaunee beat our No. 1 for the first time this year, but it’s early. As a pack we really did well.

“The boys side had another good run today. Everybody got better and faster and closed the gap on Colton, so I’m just really happy with everybody’s times today. It was a perfect day to run.”

Detmers also prefers the cooler temperatures.

“I think it’s better to run in this weather,” he said. “If you’re not used to the heat it actually makes it harder. We’re in the U.P. so we’re used to that.”

Rambo commented on his own performance and on Yesney.

“We tried to stay with Colton, we stayed with him for the first mile and then he really kicked it in,” he said about himself and Rudden. “Garrett was able to take the lead at that point and I fell back a little bit, but I kept him in eyesight and that’s really what got me a good time.”

Yesney said despite the win, he wasn’t satisfied with his performance.

“I wasn’t happy with my times but you take what you can get,” he said. “Typically I do like the cold, but your lungs have to get adjusted to it.”

Ishpeming picked up fourth-place finishes in each meet with Katie Loman for the girls and Jonah Broberg for the boys.

From Westwood, Tessa Leece was 10th for the girls, while Andrew Dierterle finished 23rd for the boys.

Gwinn fielded four boys, one short of being eligible for a team score, with Jacob Porubsky leading the way in 14th.

Negaunee, Marquette and Westwood travel to the Kingsford Invitational on Tuesday, Gwinn will be at the Manistique Invite on Wednesday, and Ishpeming will go to the Hancock Invite on Thursday.

Email Ryan Spitza at sports@miningjournal.net.