Pioneers dominate NWC meet
by Staff Reports
LENOIR — Watauga’s girls’ cross-country team dominated the Northwestern Conference championships held a the Lenoir Aquatic Center Wednesday by taking four of the Top 5 positions, and eight of the Top 10.
Watauga finished with 19 points, which was just four away from a perfect score of 15. Fred T. Foard was second with 52 points and Hickory placed a distant third with 89.
Darby Middlebrook captured the individual championship by completing the 5K course with a time of 18 minutes, 43 seconds. She was the only runner to finish the course under 19 minutes.
Madison Harman was second with a time of 19:28. No other runner in the event finished the course in less than 20 minutes.
Watauga’s Katherine Mansure was fourth with a 20:33,while Lynde Wangler was fifth with a 20:40. Doris Kosmala was seventh with a 21:03, Shelby Hickernell was eight, Riley Dobbins was ninth and Celia Jackson was 10th overall.
Foard’s Kaitlyn Rayfield finished third and Hickory’s Ella Juerges was sixth.
WHS BOYS
LENOIR — Watauga’s boys’ cross-country team also saw little resistance in capturing the Northwestern Conference championship Tuesday at the Lenoir Aquatic Center.
The Pioneers placed six runners in the Top 11, and seven in the Top 13 to finish with 30 points. Foard was second with 58 points.
Foard’s Broaderick Bauguess, a sophomore, won the event with a time of 16:50. Watauga’s Josh Anderson was second with a 16:59, and teammate Michael Holland was fifth with a 17:38.
Bryan Brackney was sixth, Drew Boyette was eighth and Matt Osborne was ninth. Carson Nguyen was 11th and Jacob Soule was 13th.
Watauga’s teams will run in the state 4-A Western Regionals, which take place Oct. 27 at McAlpine Park in Charlotte.
Watauga finished with 19 points, which was just four away from a perfect score of 15. Fred T. Foard was second with 52 points and Hickory placed a distant third with 89.
Darby Middlebrook captured the individual championship by completing the 5K course with a time of 18 minutes, 43 seconds. She was the only runner to finish the course under 19 minutes.
Madison Harman was second with a time of 19:28. No other runner in the event finished the course in less than 20 minutes.
Watauga’s Katherine Mansure was fourth with a 20:33,while Lynde Wangler was fifth with a 20:40. Doris Kosmala was seventh with a 21:03, Shelby Hickernell was eight, Riley Dobbins was ninth and Celia Jackson was 10th overall.
Foard’s Kaitlyn Rayfield finished third and Hickory’s Ella Juerges was sixth.
WHS BOYS
LENOIR — Watauga’s boys’ cross-country team also saw little resistance in capturing the Northwestern Conference championship Tuesday at the Lenoir Aquatic Center.
The Pioneers placed six runners in the Top 11, and seven in the Top 13 to finish with 30 points. Foard was second with 58 points.
Foard’s Broaderick Bauguess, a sophomore, won the event with a time of 16:50. Watauga’s Josh Anderson was second with a 16:59, and teammate Michael Holland was fifth with a 17:38.
Bryan Brackney was sixth, Drew Boyette was eighth and Matt Osborne was ninth. Carson Nguyen was 11th and Jacob Soule was 13th.
Watauga’s teams will run in the state 4-A Western Regionals, which take place Oct. 27 at McAlpine Park in Charlotte.