SIDELINES: CROSS COUNTRY

Napoleon's Weaver, Liberty Center's Atkinson run to championships

Tigers also capture girls team crown in Division III

12/1/2011
BY DONALD EMMONS
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
  • Steve-Weaver

    Napoleon’s Steve Weaver is congratulated by assistant coach Jeff Ressler after winning the Division II state title.

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    • Napoleon’s Steve Weaver is congratulated by assistant coach Jeff Ressler after winning the Division II state title.
    Napoleon’s Steve Weaver is congratulated by assistant coach Jeff Ressler after winning the Division II state title.

    Napoleon distance runner Steve Weaver became a state champion in two sports when he added the Division II boys cross country title.

    The senior won at the new state meet cross country course at National Trail Raceway in Hebron, Ohio, with a time of 15 minutes, 25.09 seconds.

    Weaver won the 1600 meters last spring at the Division II state track and field meet.

    Also in Division II, Maumee's Willy Fink placed third at state with a time of 15:26.53 after claiming his first regional title.

    Swanton senior Ric Roe placed 17th (16:31.41).

    In the D-I race, St. John's Jacob Mills ran 23rd overall (15:57.94). David St. John placed 44th (16:18.26) to lead St. Francis de Sales to eighth in the D-I team results

    Toledo Christian's Matt Oram and Nathan Lane placed 28th (16:40.3) and 29th (16:42.39), respectively, in the Division III.

    Brittany Atkinson, right, celebrates with Kelly Haubert after Atkinson won the Division III girls cross country race and the Tigers captured the team title.
    Brittany Atkinson, right, celebrates with Kelly Haubert after Atkinson won the Division III girls cross country race and the Tigers captured the team title.

    Among the girls, Liberty Center's Brittany Atkinson became a state champion in her freshmen year as an individual and as part of a team.

    Atkinson won the Division III state race with a time of 18:27.51 to lead the Tigers to the team title. Kelly Haubert (11th, 19:15.96), Paige Chamberlain (18th, 19:23.39), Chelsea Knapp (26th, 19:38.06) and Jordan Sidel (63rd, 20:25.05) all helped Liberty Center win the crown.

    Northview ran to a seventh-place finish in Division I with Alison Work (25th, 28;49.87) leading the way.

    Notre Dame's Alexandra Aughenbaugh (15th, 18:36.75) and Clay's Erin Gyurke (16th, 18:36.79) finished in the top 20.

    In D-II, Wauseon's Taylor Vernot (12th, 18:49.17), Napoleon's Maddie Grooms (22nd, 19:19.73) placed high.