CALUMET — The Houghton Gremlins doubled their pleasure here Monday by sweeping both ends of the Calumet Invitational cross country meet.

Houghton’s boys grabbed five of the top seven places and scored 23 points in the West PAC opener. They were followed by Ishpeming with 36, Negaunee 90 and Westwood 93.

The Houghton girls took four of the top 10 spots and finished with 37 points, followed by Westwood 58, Negaunee 81 and Ishpeming 87.

Westwood, Ishpeming and Negaunee will participate in their annual WIN meet in cross country at the Negaunee Township Hall trails at 4 p.m. Thursday.

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Boys meet

The Gremlins had just a bit more depth than the Hematites as those two schools swept the first eight places.

“I was really pleased,” Gremlins coach Traci Welch said. “When I saw our third, fourth and fifth (boys) runners coming up the hill, I felt pretty good about our chances. That was key for us. Eric Weiss had a real nice race.”

The Gremlins’ junior won the hilly 3.1-mile race on the Swedetown Ski Trails in 18 minutes, 50.4 seconds, less than two seconds ahead of Ishpeming senior Joseph King, who clocked 18:52.3 on a sunny and warm afternoon.

“I just wanted to relax and hit a good stride,” said Weiss, who grabbed the lead in the final 400 meters. “(King) was in front the whole race and I was comfortable running at his pace. This gives me confidence for the (MHSAA Upper Peninsula Division 1) Finals. It was super hot out there.”

They were followed by Ishpeming senior Jordan Longtine in third in 19:26.6, while Houghton had the next four finishers, led by senior Branden Peterson in fourth in 20:05.0 and junior Davin Evans in fifth in 20:15.8.

Freshman Parker Gauthier was the Hematites’ third finisher, coming in eight overall in 20:24.6, while senior teammate David Liimatta was 11th in 20:54.7 and sophomore teammate Preston Gauthier 12th in 20:59.9.

Negaunee’s James Dank was ninth in 20:28.0 and Westwood’s Jacob Jestila 10th in 20:45.5.

The Miners and Patriots had five more finishers in the top 25 as Negaunee sophomore Judge Anderson was 18th in 22:10.9 and senior teammate John Schouten was 20th in 22:51.6. Not far behind was Westwood junior Jacob Johnson, 21st in 22:55.0, junior Micah Milano, 23rd in 23:00.6, and senior Luke Vidlund, 25th in 24:44.0.

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Girls meet

Ishpeming freshman Lola Korpi captured top honors in the girls’ race at 21:33.4.

“I wanted to attack the hills and get into a fast rhythm,” said Korpi, who won Thursday’s Hancock Invitational in a school-record 19:36. “This is a very tough course. It’s quite hilly throughout, although I thought I ran the hills good.

“I was shooting for under 20 minutes, but this was my first time on this course. I didn’t know what to expect.”

Houghton junior Ingrid Seagren, who took a fall shortly after the start of Monday’s race, was runner-up in 22:50.8 with classmate Paige Sleeman third (23:11.6).

“It was not good,” Seagren said. “I was kind of bummed. We were running in tight quarters and I think the Calumet girl and I nicked each other. After I fell down, I slowed down a little, then a little before the mile I got back into it.

“I didn’t see Lola, but I tried to keep pace with the Westwood girl (sophomore Heidi Meglathery). She set a good pace.”

Meglathery took fourth in 23:19.8, Negaunee junior Endla Harris was fifth in 23:51.1 and Patriots senior Elizabeth Williams was sixth in 24:05.9. Houghton and Calumet filled out the remainder of the top 10.

In the second 10, Ishpeming junior Taylor Longtine was 11th in 24:48.8, Westwood freshman Baylie LaVigne 13th in 25:39.9, Negaunee freshman Seere Helms-Gleason 14th in 25:46.2, Westwood freshman Retta Boburka 15th in 25:51.2, Negaunee junior Lauren Ossenheimer 17th in 26:15.5 and Ishpeming senior Chyanne Gardner 20th in 27:05.1.

Just missed the top 20 was Negaunee junior Tessa Standerford, 22nd in 27:10.9 and Westwood sophomore Emma Jestila, 23rd in 27:23.4 and junior teammate Samantha Perrault, 24th in 27:24.0.