Negaunee was particularly dominant in the girls meet as the Miners scored just 21 points to 45 for Westwood as Ishpeming didn’t have enough runners to post a team score.

But Negaunee was decisive for the boys, too, scoring 31 as Westwood had 44 and Ishpeming 60.

WIN meets are held in numerous sports during the school year between the three Marquette County west end schools — WIN standing for Westwood, Ishpeming and Negaunee.

Despite not having a team score in the girls meet, Ishpeming’s Lola Korpi was the most dominating individual runner, winning her race in 20 minutes, 59 seconds, more than a minute ahead of runner-up Marlee Plaxco of Negaunee, who clocked 22:07.

The top eight finishers in the boys race earned medals at WIN Meet in cross country held at the Negaunee Township Trails on Thursday. They are in order of finish from right to left. At far right is champion Simon Jaklin of Negaunee, and working left are Kemper Gearhart of Ishpeming, Michael Slawinski of Negaunee, Levi Nicholls of Ishpeming, Roman Yuhas of Westwood, Patrick Klumpp of Westwood, Brecklin Jensen of Westwood and Blayne LaCosse of Negaunee. (Photo courtesy Vickie Paupore)

In fact, the top three finishers in the girls race all separated themselves not only from the field, but from each other, too.

Plaxco just missed having a full-minute edge on third place and teammate Seere Helms-Gleason, who finished in 23:06. And Helms-Gleason was more than a minute ahead of yet another Negaunee runner, fourth-place Izzy Prusi, who came in at 24:16.

After that, the girls finishers were quite a bit closer together, as three more finishers were within a minute of Prusi. They were the Miners’ Riley Conklin, fifth in 24:33, Westwood’s top finisher Sierra Rodda, sixth in 24:45, and the fifth Negaunee finisher Amara Rasmussen, seventh in 25:09.

Rounding out the top-eight medalists was Westwood’s Addy Hallum in 25:45.

The just-miss finisher was ninth-place Lexi Thibeault of Westwood in 26:17.

Negaunee swept both boys and girls team titles at the WIN Meet in cross country held at the Negaunee Township Trails on Thursday. In the front row from left are Kenadie Hodgins, Emma Arbelius, Amara Rasmussen, Seere Helms-Gleason, Simon Jaklin and Aiden Evans. Top row left, Riley Conklin, Marlee Plaxco, Kylee Vining, Cheyanne Larson, Michael Slawinski, Blayne LaCosse, Riley Lovern, Caden Steede, Blake Holmgren, Alex Ossenheimer and coach Vickie Paupore. (Photo courtesy Vickie Paupore)

Negaunee and Ishpeming alternated the top four places in the boys meet, with the Miners’ Simon Jaklin winning by the better part of a minute in 18:20.

The Hematites’ Kemper Gearhart was runner-up in 19:08 and just ahead of the next two finishers. Negaunee’s Michael Slawinski was third in 19:23 and Ishpeming’s Levi Nicholls fourth in 19:30.

Then there was a more-than-a-minute separation with the four remaining medalists all within a minute of each other.

Westwood’s Roman Yuhas was fifth in 20:47, the Patriots’ Patrick Klumpp sixth in 21:15 and yet another WHS runner, Brecklin Jensen, seventh in 21:16.

Rounding out the medalists was Negaunee’s Blayne LaCosse in eighth in 21:40.

From left, Negaunee’s Michael Slawinski, Ishpeming’s Kemper Gearhart and the Miners’ Simon Jaklin run close together during the WIN Meet in boys cross country held at the Negaunee Township Trails on Thursday. Jaklin won this race with Gearhart runner-up and Slawinski third. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Three more runners — all Miners — missed that last medaling spot by less than 45 seconds — Alex Ossenheimer was ninth in 22:02, Blake Holmgren 10th in 22:06 and Caden Steede 11th in 22:12.

The boys race featured 27 finishers and the girls had 14.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

Ishpeming's Lola Korpi nears the finish line as she wins the WIN Meet in girls cross country at the Negaunee Township Trails on Thursday. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)