By Journal Sports Staff

JACKSON – Three area runners placed in the top 10 in their respective divisions at a big high school cross country meet held downstate on Saturday.

The Jackson Invitational featured 50 boys and 46 girls teams, nearly all of them from the Lower Peninsula.

But the few Upper Peninsula runners – full teams of Marquette’s boys and girls, along with a single runner from Westwood – made their presence known. Also participating was Sault Ste. Marie.

Katie Etelamaki of Westwood had the high individual finish, coming in second place in the girls Division 3-4 race on the five-kilometer course in 19 minutes, 57.5 seconds. She missed the first-place time set by Lily Durham of Ann Arbor Christ the King by 31.9 seconds.

For Marquette in Division 1, Lance Rambo finished seventh in 16:09.0, a career best according to MSHS coach Dale Phillips, who was unable to travel with the team.

On the girls side, the Redettes’ Lindsey Rudden was 10th in 18:39.1, a time Phillips believed was her second-best ever.

The winning D1 times were posted by Nick Hirschenberger of Traverse City West in the boys race in 15:32.2 and Karenna Duffey of Macomb L’Anse Creuse North in 17:44.3.

Another Marquette runner that also set a personal best time according to Phillips was Logan Zueger, who was 105th overall in 17:44.8 and the Redmen’s second finisher.

MSHS finished 18th out of 23 schools with 494 points.

White Lake Lakeland won with 89, while Northville was second with 102.

Other MSHS boys finishers were Troy Sergey, 132nd in 18:17.2; Jesse Elsenbroek, 136th in 18:26.4; Nathan Garwood, 174th in 19:27.3; Ramsey Nofal, 181st in 19:54.7; and Russ Modell Jr., 182nd in 19:56.8.

After Rudden in the Division 1 girls race for Marquette was Holly Blowers, 31st in 19:39.1; Rebecca McNamee, 40th in 19:57.0; Amber Huebner, 70th in 20:43.1; Samantha Borzick, 116th in 22:11.5; Zita Jameson, 124th in 22:28.8; and Molly Welch, 151st in 23:58.4.

Team-wise, the Redettes came in seventh out of 20 schools with 240 points. Birmingham Seaholm won with 51 while Northville was next with 60.

Sault Ste. Marie was ninth of 13 schools in Division 2 boys with 200 points, while the Blue Devils were 7th of 15 girls schools with 489.

Steve Brownlee can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 252. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.