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The Lady Pioneers won their fourth big-meet title, to go along with two BWAC Jamboree top finishes, when thy ran by an 18-team field at the Marysville Invitational on Thursday.

Behind overall individual champion, sophomore Leah O'Connor, Cros-Lex scored a low of 82 points. Marine City was next with 105.

The only race Cros-Lex did not win all season was the Port Huron Invitational when they finished behind St. Clair and Marine City. The Lady Pioneers have now finished well ahead of Marine City two weeks in a row and injury/illness-plagued St. Clair was no factor on Thursday. A good Port Huron team finished third in the team standings.

"This was a nice win for us...because it's the whole area," said Lisa Shaw, C-L coach. "I knew we've been running pretty strong, and after that Harbor Beach performance (title at Harbor Beach Inv. the week before), I knew we could up there."

Shaw added that none of her team goals for the season are centered around any of the regular-season invitationals, but those do help gauge improvement.

"Our focus on our season is on four major events - the BWAC (Jamborees) and the Regionals," said Shaw. "My focus is for us to be better when we need to be. But, we are running pretty well right now."

O'Connor, with a time of 19:44 held off Marine City's Alexandria Vintevoghel (19:47) down the stretch Thursday to take top honors. She had finished behind her in their two previous meetings this fall.

Coach Shaw remarked, "She knew, that after the last time, she had to stay within contact of her." Shaw added that O'Connor was in the second tier of runners in the first mile, moved up in the second mile and passed the Mariner junior early in the third leg.

Junior Erica Lerma continued her impressive season, too, for the Lady Pioneers. She placed sixth overall with a time of 20:28.

The top six C-L runners all eared medals by placing in the top 30. The other four were Michaela Maze (24th), Joz Worden (25th), Julia McEntee (26th), and Vanessa Stewart (29th).

C-L boys 4th

In the boys race Thursday, the Pioneers placed fourth in the team standings with 164 points. St. Clair easily claimed the championship trophy with 35 points.

Cros-Lex did have two medal winners - junior Josh Matthews was 17th and sophomore Adam Martinelli was 23rd.