Portland Cross Country News

Spartan Invitational

The Boys and Girls cross country teams had an eventful five days, competing in the MSU Auto-Owners Spartan Invitational on September 13 and the CAAC White Jamboree #1 in Ionia on September 17.

At the Spartan Invitational, which featured 130 teams, the boys kicked things off at the Forest Akers East Golf Course. Andrew Feldpausch led the team with a strong time of 18:00, followed closely by Owen Moore at 18:14 and freshman Liam DeWitt at 18:15. Donnie Richmond, another freshman, finished at 18:30, while Kehyan Page (sophomore) and Tanner McNair (junior) completed the team with times of 20:10 and 22:44, respectively. The girls' team followed, with senior Avery Wezensky pacing them at 21:14. Paige Weber (sophomore) finished in 22:24, while Josephine Polasek (sophomore) clocked 24:15. Lauren Spitzley (junior), Karagen Calley (freshman), and Anna Heath (senior) rounded out the team, with additional runners Izzy Fedewa (freshman), Claire Lyon (junior), Veda Smith (junior), Abby Seavey (junior), Willa Almy (junior), and Brynn Nelson (junior) also competing.

The following meet at Ionia marked a historic day for both teams. The boys achieved their best finish ever, placing 2nd behind Lansing Catholic, just 19 points behind. Andrew Feldpausch and Owen Moore finished strong in 2nd and 3rd place overall with impressive times of 17:46 and 17:47. Freshmen Liam DeWitt and Donnie Richmond also had notable finishes, placing 11th and 13th with times of 18:32 and 18:33, respectively. Kehyan Page rounded out the scoring for the boys with a personal record of 19:24, finishing 26th.

The girls' team also had a strong performance, finishing 3rd out of seven teams. Avery Wezensky led the charge, finishing 8th at 21:36. Paige Weber secured 16th place with a time of 22:54, while Josephine Polasek (25th, 23:28), Lauren Spitzley (27th, season best 24:10), and Karagan Calley (34th, 24:49) completed the scoring. Other participants included Izzy Fedewa (with a personal record), Anna Heath, Claire Lyon, Veda Smith, Willa Almy, Brynn Nelson, Abby Seavey, and Peyton Rockey, who also achieved a season best.

Overall, it was a fantastic week for both teams, showcasing their hard work and dedication!

Pewamo-Westphalia Invitational

The Boys and Girls cross country teams had a fantastic outing at the Pewamo-Westphalia Invitational on Wednesday, September 25. This was the inaugural race on a brand-new course at their high school.

The Boys team finished strong, taking 2nd place out of 7 teams. Owen Moore led the pack with an impressive performance, finishing first overall and setting a personal record of 16:56—two seconds faster than his previous best. Andrew Feldpausch also shone, securing 4th place with a time of 17:07. Other standout finishes included Liam DeWitt in 7th at 17:52 and Donnie Richmond in 10th at 18:17. Tanner McNair and freshman Noah Huffine, who ran his first 5K of the season, also contributed to the team's effort.

On the girls' side, the team finished 4th out of 7 teams, with three runners earning medals for their top 25 finishes. Avery Wezensky led the way, finishing 7th with a time of 21:26. Paige Weber achieved a personal record of 21:48, finishing 11th, while Lauren Spitzley rounded out the medalists in 25th with a season-best time of 23:27. Additional strong performances came from Josephine Polasek (23:33) and Karagan Calley, who also achieved a personal record with a finish time of 23:39. Other notable runs were recorded by Anna Heath, Izzy Fedewa, Veda Smith, Claire Lyon, Willa Almy, Abby Seavey, Brynn Nelson (who set a 19-second PR), and Peyton Rockey, who notched her third consecutive season-best performance.

Both teams are gearing up for their next competition at the 2024 Shepherd BLUEJAY Invite this Saturday. Great job, everyone!

Courtesy photos.