OTSEGO, MI (WTVB) – Two Branch County high school cross country runners earned first place finishes Saturday at the Otsego Invitational.
It was a career-best day on Saturday for Coldwater’s Shuaib Aljabaly. In a fierce battle to the finish line with Otsego’s Alex Comerford, Aljabaly won, clocking 14:53, two seconds faster than Comerford. Both runners now enter the ranks of those very few runners, nationally, who have run under 15:00 for a 5K. As a team, the Cardinals finished seventh in the 16-team Division Two field.
The Coldwater Lady Cards finished 11th, led by Kathy Potter and Elka Machan, both with season-best times. Potter in 11th, and Machan in 22nd, both earned medals for their efforts.
Quincy’s Nathan Nohr won the Boys Division Three and Four race in a personal best time of 16:38.9 which moves him into fourth place on Quincy’s list for all time fastest 5K times. Bronson finished third in the final boys team standings while Quincy was fifth. Ian Trail finished 11th for Quincy.
Bronson had five runners finish in the top 30. Colin Ransbottom was sixth, Luis Ortiz was eighth, Hunter Trine was 15th, Daniel Barajas was 22nd and Socorro Aguilar was 29th.
Quincy was fifth while Bronson was seventh in the girls race. Quincy’s Harmony Harpster was fourth while Madelyn Allman was 10th. Meghan Vaughn was 50th for Bronson.
===Monday’s Branch County H.S. Sports Schedule===
Boys Tennis—
Hastings at Coldwater
Bronson at Three Rivers
Boys Soccer—
Jackson Christian at Quincy
