Marquez runs 18:17, leads Valley to 18th place at Manchester Invite

Bussard runs 22:31 in girls invite, finishes 75th

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

The Tippecanoe Valley cross-country teams competed at the Manchester Invitational Saturday. The boys finished 18th while the girls had an incomplete team. Valley will host their home invitational at 9 a.m. this Saturday.

Led by junior Christopher Marquez, the Tippecanoe Valley boys cross-country team scored 493 points and finished in 18th place out of 22 complete teams at the Manchester Invitational Saturday.

Marquez was timed in 18:17 and finished in 48th place out of 193 individuals.

Other Valley runners included Isaac Whetstone, who was 95th in 19:21; Eli Sterk, who was 115th in 19:55; Luis Nuñez, who was 149th in 21:02; Noah Rutherford, who was 166th in 22:00; Michael Leininger, who was 176th in 24:07; Keagan Tignor, who was 178th in 24:45; Gavin Leininger, who was 180th in 25:07; Simeon Skipper, who was 187th in 27:18; and Christian Guzman, who was 190th in 28:57.

Columbia City’s Gavin Good was the individual champion in 15:49.

Wabash had three of the top eight finishers and won the team title with 49 points. Columbia City was second with 96.

In the girls meet, Valley had an incomplete team.

The top Valley finisher was Bailey Bussard, who took 75th place in 22:31. This marked the first time Bussard has run at Manchester since she ran a 21:47 at last year’s sectional.

Other Valley girls runners included Katie Sterk, who was 164th in 26:19; and Ava Minix, who was 172nd in 27:02.

Valparaiso sophomore Whitney Anderson won the individual title in 18:03. Valparaiso also won the team title with 45 points, topping a field of 19 teams. Columbia City also took second in the girls meet with 95 points.

Valley will return to Manchester for the sectional on Oct. 19.

MANCHESTER INVITATIONAL GIRLS RESULTS: Valparaiso 45, Columbia City 95, Fort Wayne Northrop 131, Huntington North 172, East Noble 180, Maconaquah 196, Chesterton 215, Fairfield 224, Plymouth 225, South Bend Adams 277, Wawasee 286, Fort Wayne North Side 320, Manchester 358, Culver Academy 369, Bluffton 369, Penn 370, Garrett 421, Wabash 441, Lakewood Park 582

Tippecanoe Valley results

75. Bailey Bussard – 22:31, 164. Katie Sterk – 26:19, 172. Ava Minix – 27:02

MANCHESTER INVITATIONAL BOYS RESULTS (POINTS IN PARENTHESES): Wabash 49, Columbia City 96, Wawasee 119, Bluffton 175, Lakewood Park 182, South Bend Adams 225, Fairfield 226, East Noble 226, Manchester 232, Fort Wayne Northrop 248, Plymouth 273, Maconaquah 294, Culver Academy 302, Huntington North 346, Garrett 382, Eastside 387, Northfield 476, TIPPECANOE VALLEY 493, Peru 568, South Bend Career Academy 583, Appleseeds TC 615, Fort Wayne Blackhawk 636

Valley results (493 points, 18th place)

48. Christopher Marquez – 18:17 (47), 95. Isaac Whetstone – 19:21 (88), 115. Eli Sterk – 19:55 (103), 149. Luis Nuñez – 21:02 (122), 166. Noah Rutherford – 22:00 (133), 176. Michael Leininger – 24:07, 178. Keagan Tignor – 24:45, 180. Gavin Leininger – 25:07, 187. Simeon Skipper – 27:18, 190. Christian Guzman – 28:57