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Running at Algonac last Tuesday, the Lady Pioneers took command in the chase for the girls league title and the C-L boys turned that championship into a two-way battle.

In the boys competition, Cros-Lex finished first with 64 points, just ahead of Yale with 69. The two teams flip-flopped at the first Jamboree and the two squads are deadlocked in the standings heading into the final BWAC meet on Tuesday, October 16 at Goodells Park.

"We had to do well (Tuesday) to be in the mix," noted Rick Shaw, Cros-Lex boys coach. "Yale's been pretty tough, but we're pretty evenly matched with that team."

Josh Matthews led Cros-Lex with an individual third place time of 17:49. Taylor Kasper (8th) and Adam Martinelli (12th) were close behind. Coach Shaw, though, had a good finish from Asa Choate (20th) and Ethan Campbell (21st), too.

"Our top three ran well, but I'm really proud of our four-five runners. They had to run big at the close of the race."

If Cros-Lex can finish ahead of Yale at the final Jamboree, the Pioneers can claim their first cross country title since 2003.

On the girls side, the Lady Pioneers captured first for the second straight time in the two meets this season and are in full control of picking up their fourth BWAC harrier championship since 2002. Cros-Lex had a low score of 52 on Tuesday, followed by Armada with 64 and Algonac with 85. Richmond, which placed second in the opening Jamboree, finished fourth.

C-L sophomore Leah O'Connor, quickly emerging as one of the top runners in the Thumb and Blue Water Area, was the overall winner with a season-best time of 19:41. She did not compete in cross country a year ago.

"It took her a while to figure this out and get into shape," explained Coach Lisa Shaw. "And, now, she's not afraid to run up front with the faster girls."

The Lady Pioneers had a sixth from Erica Lerma, 13th from Joz Worden and 15th from Michaela Maze. The surprise came from junior Vanessa Stewart at 17th in 21:58, her best showing of the season.

Coach Shaw commented, "This was her first varsity spot (this season). She has really come on hard. She's back to the Vanessa we saw as a freshman."

Harbor Beach Inv.

Cros-Lex came away as the girls team champion at Harbor Beach on Saturday as O'Connor led the way with a second place time of 19:19.9, just three seconds behind Alexandria Vintevoghel of Marine City. Lerma (4th), Stewart (11th), Worden (14th)and Maze (18th) were next for the Lady Pioneers.

In the boys race, C-L edged Reese by four points for the runner-up trophy. Caro took the team title.

Matthews was the top finisher for the Pioneers, going eighth in17:20.1. Kasper (12th) and Martinelli (13th) were next behind Matthews.

Brown City's Matt Proctor finished 20th out of the 155 runners from 21 schools.