Joliet XC Teams Shine in Season Opener

Seniors Adin Matthes and Grady Nardinger racing alongside Laurel runners at Amend Park Friday.

J-Hawk cross country competed Friday against a crowded field boasting some of the best runners from Montana and Wyoming. The Invitational was held in Billings, at Amend Park, in hot, dry conditions and tested every bit of the athletes' mettle.

With all Varsity Boys returning this year, J-Hawks are looking forward to a solid season, and it showed at this meet. Junior Auston Schellig continues to lead the team with his quiet confidence. He raced in the front pack for the entire race, finishing 6th overall and 1st in Class B. Seniors Adin Matthes and Grady Nardinger were next across the line, showing off their hard work in the off season. Seniors Jack Cline and Gavin Evertz rounded out the team, all placing top 20 in Class B runners. Sophomore Carter Williams and Senior Thorlan Finley also ran Varsity this meet, but their finishes were not counted in the team score.

Only the top five runners are scored for the team in any race, but seven are allowed to run, meaning the five who score could change in any given meet, depending upon times. Collectively, the boys' performance earned them a 2nd place Class B finish, just behind Lodge Grass and a 9th place overall, out of 30 teams.

Sophomores Sophia Schellig and Justyce Bickel represented the J-Hawks in the Varsity Girls race. Both posted solid races in their first meet of the season, with Schellig finishing 9th in Class B and Bickel 17th.

JV boys placed 3rd for Class B and 12th overall. The JV squad was led by returning Sophomore Wade Behm who finished in 15th place for Class B. Followed by Senior Keith Frank, Freshman Tristan Vasquez, Sophomore Oliver Lewis, and Freshman Evan Dye.

Sophomore Addy Bania posted a 7th place Class B finish in her debut cross country race. She joined Senior Cloee Blain to represent the J-Hawks in the JV Girls race.

Full J-Hawk Results:

Varsity Boys:

Auston Schellig, 6th Overall, 1st Class B, 16:50.57

Adin Matthes, 57th Overall, 10th Class B, 19:51.54

Grady Nardinger, 65th Overall, 12th Class B, 20:03.39

Jack Cline, 79th Overall, 17th Class B, 20:52.76

Gavin Evertz, 80th Overall, 18th Class B, 20:55.68

Carter Williams, 100th Overall, 30th Class B, 21:45.23

Thorlan Finley, 112th Overall, 34th Class B, 23:22.43

Varsity Girls:

Sophia Schellig, 57th Overall, 9th Class B, 24:44.06

Justyce Bickel, 77th Overall, 17th Class B, 26:34.13

JV Boys:

Wade Behm, 83rd Overall, 15th Class B, 23:19.93

Keith Frank, 122nd Overall, 29th Class B, 25:51.41

Tristan Vasquez, 144th Overall, 33rd Class B, 29:06.83

Oliver Lewis, 149th Overall, 35th Class B, 30:42.00

Evan Dye, 164th Overall, 39th Class B, 37:07.25

JV Girls:

Addison Bania, 47th Overall, 7th Class B, 28:43.92

Cloee Blain, 115th Overall, 22nd Class B, 37:52.68

Visit Athletic.Net for complete results.