The Jets, who won their fifth consecutive meet, were followed by Houghton with 58 and Gladstone 79 on this sunny and mild afternoon.

Westwood was fourth with 85, while Negaunee had 96, Manistique 189 and Hancock 201. Ishpeming and Gwinn were among four schools that didn’t field full teams.

Jeffers senior Cameron Anderson won on the challenging 3.1-mile course in 16 minutes, 34.9 seconds in the third West PAC meet of the season with Negaunee senior Henry Plummer runner-up in 17:05.1.

“The Negaunee guy pushed me, which helped me keep my pace,” Anderson said. “The big downhill also helped. That’s where I got separation on him.

Negaunee's Keira Waterman, left, and Houghton's Sela Niska run together about halfway through the Negaunee Township Trails course during the girls race at the Negaunee Invitational high school cross country meet on Tuesday. Waterman won and Niska was runner-up. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

“It also helped to have a little cooler weather. Most of the woods was in the shade. I think this gives me a little bit of momentum going into the remaining conference races.”

The Houghton girls won with 23 points, while Negaunee edged Calumet for the runner-up spot 56 to 61. Hancock was fourth with 84 and Westwood fifth with 125. Gwinn, Ishpeming, Manistique and Republic-Michigamme were among seven schools without a full team.

The Miners’ Keira Waterman won the girls individual title by not quite 15 seconds in 20:38.9 as Houghton’s Sela Niska was runner-up in 20:53.3.

Waterman was actually a double winner, since this meet also served as the Mid-Peninsula Conference championship meet for just those teams.

In that competition, the Negaunee girls won their meet with a near-perfect 16 points, while other team scores weren’t available.

For the M-PC boys, Gladstone emerged a a narrow winner, scoring 39 points to 44 for Westwood as Negaunee had 62 and Manistique 107.

A fourth West PAC meet will be held at 4 p.m. today, the Westwood Invitational, at Wawonowin Country Club in Champion, while Marquette will be at the Eskymo Invite in Escanaba also today.

Another West PAC meet is set for the Michigan Tech Trails in Houghton on Monday afternoon before both the West PAC and GNC finals meets are set for next Thursday, the West PAC at Calumet and GNC at Presque Isle Park in Marquette.

Look further down the road, the MHSAA U.P. Finals in all divisions are just over two weeks away at Pictured Rocks Golf Club in Munising on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Here are more details from each Negaunee Invite meet:

Plummer runner-up

Plummer, who was crowned M-PC champion in this meet, was followed by Jeffers senior Landon Larson in 17:26.1.

“This is a confidence builder going into the remaining meets,” Plummer said. “I was trying to push the pace and take the straightest line.

“My energy level went down at the end of the second mile. I just didn’t have the stamina today. It feels good to be M-PC champion, but I definitely want to improve my time.”

The Jets placed four in the top 10.

“This was heck of a day,” Jeffers coach Sam Kilpela said. “Cam ran real strong overall and Henry was with him for two miles. That’s what Cameron needs, someone to push him. It was cool to see all these teams (Tuesday).”

Negaunee senior Simon Jaklin placed fourth in 17:48.6, followed by Ishpeming junior Kemper Gearhart in 17:55.9.

“I tried to run my pace, but something got caught in my throat with about a quarter-mile to go,” Jaklin said. “I had to wait for my airway to clear, then I sprinted to the finish line.”

Westwood freshman Calvin Carlson was seventh in 18:15.8, senior teammate Jared Waterman ninth in 18:27.1 and Patriots’ senior Breckin Jensen 14th in 18:49.5.

Leading Gwinn was freshman John Green, 21st in 19:12.3, as Ishpeming senior Mateusz Wozniak was 25th in 19:31.7 and Westwood senior Johnny Jestila 29th in 19:43.4.

Manistique’s top finisher was sophomore Kavin Jackson, 36th in 20:17.9.

Waterman gets 2 wins

After Waterman in the girls race, Houghton had the next three finishers — Niska as runner-up, Holly Cooke in third and Norah Woodruff fourth.

“This was a more comfortable day to run than last Thursday (at Ishpeming),” Niska said. “In the last mile, I couldn’t breathe (at Ishpeming). I used a similar strategy to the last race.

“This year I’m running more for place than time. I’m hoping to get a sub-20 (minute run) at the U.P. Finals.”

Negaunee coach Vickie Paupore was pleased with her girls’ team M-PC title.

“We can’t complain at all,” she said. “I’m very happy with the girls’ performance. This was the last home meet for our seniors. This is a wonderful accomplishment for them. All seven girls medaled. I’m super proud of them.

“We got a lot of compliments on our course today. Steve and Lisa Bigalk have been helping me set up the course. It’s very well marked and the mile markers are real accurate.”

Negaunee senior Nori Korsman placed fifth in 21:47.4, followed by Ishpeming freshman Sophie Mahoski in sixth in 21:57.

The next area finisher was Negaunee freshman Brynn Wiecich in 15th in 23:11.9, then junior teammate Riley Conklin 20th in 23:46.2.

Among the third set of 10 was Westwood senior Addy Hallum, 22nd in 24:17.0; Negaunee sophomore Adela Miller, 28th in 24:55.1; Westwood senior Madeline Rye, 29th in 24:56.5; and Westwood junior Oni Heinzel, 30th in 25:02.5.

Right after them was R-M junior Zoe Blubaugh in 31st in 25:05.7. Manistique’s top finisher was junior Lily Knaffla, 43rd in 33:23.1, and Gwinn’s was freshman Wanda Lucius, 46th in 38:28.3.

Negaunee Invitational

Boys

Jeffers 42, Houghton 58, Gladstone 79, Westwood 85, Negaunee 96, Manistique 189, Hancock 201. Calumet, Gwinn, Ishpeming, West Iron County NTS.

Top 10 — 1, Cameron Anderson, Jeffers 16:34.8; 2, Henry Plummer, Negaunee, 17:05.1; 3, Landon Larson, Jeffers, 17:26.1; 4, Simon Jaklin, Negaunee, 17:48.6; 5, Kemper Gearhart, Ishpeming, 17:55.9; 6, Benjamin Hemmer, Houghton, 17:56.4; 7, Calvin Carlson, Westwood, 18:15.9; 8, Blake Heltunen, Jeffers, 18:23.5; 9, Jared Waterman, Westwood, 18:27.1; 10, Branson Anderson, Jeffers, 18:30.4.

Girls

Houghton 23, Negaunee 56, Calumet 61, Hancock 84, Westwood 125. Gladstone, West Iron County, Manistique, Ishpeming, Jeffers, Republic-Michigamme, Gwinn NTS.

Top 10 — 1, Keira Waterman, Negaunee, 20:38.9; 2, Sela Niska, Houghton, 20:53.3; 3, Holly Cooke, Houghton, 21:19.2; 4, Norah Woodruff, Houghton, 21:31.1; 5, Nori Korsman, Negaunee, 21:47.4; 6, Sophie Mahoski, Ishpeming, 21:57; 7, Jovie Williams, Houghton, 22:15.1; 8, Elli Harju, Calumet, 22:17.8; 9, Lexi Gilbert, Gladstone, 22:20.6; 10, Peyton Takkunen, Gladstone, 22:33.2.

Mid-Peninsula Conference

Boys

Gladstone 39, Westwood 44, Negaunee 62, Manistique 107.

Top 10 — 1, Henry Plummer, Negaunee, 17:05.1; 2, Simon Jaklin, Negaunee, 17:48.6; 3, Kemper Gearhart, Ishpeming, 17:55.9; 4, Calvin Carlson, Westwood, 18:15.8; 5, Jared Waterman, Westwood, 18:27.1; 6, Teagan Reynolds, Gladstone, 18:40.6; 7, Beckon Jensen, Westwood, 18:49.5; 8, Max Beauchamp, Gladstone, 18:56.6; 9, Grady Nelson, Gladstone, 19:01.7; 10, Tyler Soderman, Gladstone, 19:09.8.

Girls

Team scores not available

Top 10 — 1, Keira Waterman, Negaunee, 20:38.9; 2, Nori Korsman, Negaunee, 21:47.4; 3, Sophie Mahoski, Ishpeming, 21:47; 4, Lexi Gilbert, Gladstone, 22:20.6; 5, Peyton Takkunen, Gladstone, 22:33.2; 6, Brynn Wiecich, Negaunee, 23:11.9; 7, Riley Conklin, Negaunee, 23:46.2; 8, Addy Hellum, Westwood, 24:17; 9, Adela Miller, Negaunee, 24:55.1; Madeline Rye, Westwood, 24:56.5.