LocalSportsJournal.com
 
SARANAC – The Western Michigan Christian cross country teams opened the season on Wednesday at the Saranac Invitational.
 
The Warrior boys finished third in the nine-team field of Division 3 and 4 schools. The WMC girls finished fourth among the seven teams.
 
In the boys’ race, Grand Rapids Covenant Christian finished with 37 points, one ahead of Stanton Central Montcalm. WMC had 57 points, followed by Ovid Elsie (115), Saranac (143) Portland St. Patrick (149), Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian (166), Grandville Calvin Christian (195) and Heritage Christian Academy (266).
 
Six WMC runners finished in the top 30 as medalists, led by senior Matthias Morse in third place at 16:48.0. Alexander Lawrence took ninth at 18:03.6, Owen Sytsema was 13th in 18:28.5, Reuben Anderson was 15th in 18:33.3, Josiah Scholma was 17th in 18:40.3 and Eli Morse was 25th in 19:26.9.
 
“The boys executed the race plan very well today,” said WMC coach Greg Gould. “We wanted to start a little conservative and move up in the second half of the race. The varsity seven moved up well throughout the race and we got a solid third-place team finish behind two outstanding squads that we will certainly see again.”
 
Stanton Central Montcalm claimed the title in the girls’ race with a dominating score of 28 points. Grand Rapids Covenant was a distant second with 60 points. Grandville Calvin Christian had 93 and WM Christian had 94. Rounding out the field were Grand Rapids NorthPointe Christian (106), Ovid Elsie (143) and Saranac (177).
 
“The girls delivered a great team effort without our returning All-Stater Grace VanderKooi, who is on the mend from a non-running related injury,” Gould said. “Like the boys we wanted to stay ‘within ourselves’ physically in the opening mile and then compete the rest of the way.”

Leading the Warriors was sophomore Leah Sneller, who finished sixth with a time of 21:30.6. Morgan Lawrence was eighth at 21:45.8. Kaylie Riksen came in 18th at 23:27.3. Rounding out the Warriors were Ana Lutz in 31st place at 24:31 and Hallie Lindale in 35th place at 24:51.4.