DEERFIELD TWP. — Adrian senior Ayda Skeels and junior Madison Petty, like they did at the Lenawee County preview meet in August, finished first and second for the Maples and helped their team win the Lenawee County cross country championship at Gerber Hill Park on Oct. 17.

Adrian won the championship with 32 points, while Blissfield finished second with 52. Tecumseh took third (74), Clinton fourth (119), Onsted fifth (143), Hudson sixth (161), Lenawee Homeschool seventh (167), and Madison eighth (182). Addison, Britton Deerfield, and Lenawee Christian had runners compete but did not field full teams. Sand Creek did not compete in the girls’ event. 

Adrian coach Tom MacNaughton said his boys and girls are following his instruction to a T and putting forth a strong effort as the season nears its end, and it is starting to show.

“Both the boys and the girls are really doing the training, exactly the way I ask, and they’re doing it; they’re self-motivated,” MacNaughton said. “Since they’re doing the training, they’re doing all the mileage, and they’re doing the recovery properly, they’re just getting better.”

Skeels dominated the race, winning the 3.1-mile course in 19:05.7. While MacNaughton wanted her to conserve energy, he knew she wouldn’t because that is not what she does. 

“She knew coming in that the chances of her winning were pretty good, and she could have not gone all out, but that’s not her nature,” MacNaughton said. “She always gives her best effort.”

After Skeels and Petty, who finished in 19:34.3, junior Karina Mihai-Grammes placed fifth in 20:36.1. Freshman Alexis Richards took seventh in 20:58.4, and junior Klair Baker was 17th in 22:05.8 for Adrian.

“I feel like everyone did really well,” Petty said of her teammates. “We all worked together, and everyone pushed as hard as they could today, and it just turned out to be a really good day for everybody.”

Skeels, who feels fitter and is prepared for the rest of the season, said she and her teammates are ready for the stretch run. 

“I’m excited to see how the rest of the season goes for us,” Skeels said. “I’m excited for my team to see how we can compete at the regional meet and, hopefully, the state meet.”

Blissfield coach Ryan Bills cited senior Anna Hallett and freshman Ellie Sills, along with freshman Rose Moreno, for their toughness in leading Blissfield to a strong team race.

“We knew Adrian was going to be really tough, and I think we competed just as well as we could with them today,” Bills said of his team’s performance against Adrian. “I think we all had a successful day; so proud of all of them.”

Hallett took third in 20:12.9, while Sills was fourth in 20:20.2. Moreno placed 11th in 21:23.6. Senior Kaleea Braun finished 16th in 22:03.3, and sophomore Mollie Yeager took 18th in 22:15.1.

Tecumseh senior Maya Whelan ran a season-best 21:38.1 and placed 12th for the Indians, while junior Virginia Barrett finished 13th in 21:46.5. Senior Haley Rucinski took 14th in 21:47.6. Sophomore Opal English was 15th in 21:56.1, while junior Morgan McMichael placed 20th in 22:20.2.

For Clinton, junior Ella Claus finished sixth in 20:37.4, while Josslyn Handy took 10th in 21:22.3. Junior Grace Farrell placed 32nd in 23:32.2. Freshman Katelynn Wellday was 37th in 23:59.9, while freshman Alyson Gallup finished 52nd in 27:19.4.

Freshman Stylar Ross placed eighth in 21:00.6 for Onsted, while senior Izabel Raglow was 35th in 23:45.8. Senior Jaelyn Gwinner took 38th in 24:28.7. Senior Mattie Hallenbeck was 41st in 24:35.3, and senior Chloe Gemalsky finished 43rd in 24:56.0.

Maisen Schaedler finished ninth in 21:19.4 for Hudson, while junior Grace Brockway was 27th in 23:13.0. Senior Miley Rising placed 47th in 25:33.7. Freshman Emerson Wyse was 51st in 27:10.8, and junior Veronica Tinkey took 54th in 27:30.5.

Junior Chloe Ruse was 26th in 23:04.7 for Lenawee Homeschool, while freshman Arianna Thurlow finished 31st in 23:31.5. Freshman Evelyne Lane placed 36th in 23:46.5. Senior Sofia Shaw took 44th in 25:17.3, and freshman Julia Shaw was 57th in 29:57.8.

Freshman Tessa Trevino finished 34th in 23:39.6 for Madison, while senior Alexis Velasquez was 39th in 24:30.2. Junior Avery Stover took 42nd in 24:44.5. Sophomore Haleigh Summers finished 46th in 25:31.5, and junior Anya McClure was 53rd in 27:20.2.

Junior Ellie Woodring placed 29th in 23:22.8 for Addison, while Grace Gillin was 48th in 26:14.5. Senior Delilah Belcher finished 66th in 38:08.5.

Freshman Peyton Shiels finished 22nd in 22:37.9 for Britton Deerfield, and freshman Remi Maynard took 25th in 23:03.8.

Senior Kendall Plate took 30th in 23:23.6 for Lenawee Christian, while junior Evelette Jones finished 50th in 26:57.0.

All-county first-team honors went to Adrian’s Skeels, Petty, Mihai-Grammes, and Richards; Blissfield’s Hallett and Sills; and Clinton’s Claus. All-county second-team honors went to Onsted’s Ross; Hudson’s Schaedler; Clinton’s Handy; Blissfield’s Moreno; and Tecumseh’s Whelan, Barrett, and Rucinski.