ESSEX — The Middlebury Union High School boys’ cross-country team placed three runners in the Division II top 10 at Saturday’s Essex Invitational and finished second to Harwood to highlight efforts from local runners at the major early-season meet.
Max Moulton (seventh), Sawyer Hescock (eighth) and Malcolm Groves (10th) led the Tigers, but they could not overcome the Highlanders, who took the next four places behind D-II winner Daniel Grosvenor of Montpelier on the way to a 31-point total.
The Tigers scored 69 in taking second, with Missisquoi in third at 102. Vergennes, led by Shep Carter in 14th and Jared Miedema in 17th, took seventh with 133 points. Mount Abraham, which was led by Chris Carter in 28th, finished eighth with 236.
On the girls’ side, the Tigers’ Nicole Morris led the way with a 12th-place finish in D-II, while Mount Abe’s Bakari Olivetti also cracked the top 20 in 19th.
Richford standout Elle Purrier easily won with a time of 18:46.8, and Harwood won the girls’ competition with 21. Mount Abe was fifth at 118. The Tigers elected not to field a full team and did not have enough runners to score, while VUHS does not have any female cross-country runners.
The full local results and the winners and their times were:
D-II BOYS
1. Daniel Grosvenor, Montpelier, 16:53.2.
7. Max Moulton, MUHS, 18:34.7.
8. Sawyer Hescock, MUHS, 18:43.4.
10. Malcolm Groves, MUHS, 18:53.5.
14. Shep Carter, VUHS, 19:05.2.
17. Jared Miedema, VUHS, 19:24.1.
20. Sam Ferguson, MUHS, 19:44.7.
26. Matt Becker, MUHS, 20:18.9.
28. Chris Carter, Mt. Abe, 20:30.2.
29. David Dregallo, MUHS, 20:36.9.
31. Matteo Palmer, VUHS, 20:45.9.
36. James Whitley, MUHS, 20:56.3.
38. Jarret Lafleche, VUHS, 21:15.8.
42. Noah Praamsma, VUHS, 21:30.0.
45. Seb Crowell, VUHS, 21:38.2.
51. Josh Hutchins, VUHS, 22:47.5.
55. Clayton Trombley, Mt. Abe, 24:38.1.
57. Robin Kuhns, Mt. Abe, 24:51.1.
58. Nick Turner, Mt. Abe, 24:51.3.
59. Cullen Jemison, Mt. Abe, 24:57.7.
62. Josh Kroll, Mt. Abe, 27:22.8.
D-II GIRLS
1. Elle Purrier, Richford, 18:46.8.
12. Nicole Morris, MUHS, 24:10.9.
19. Bakari Olivetti, Mt. Abe, 24:51.8.
25. Mahli Knutsen, Mt. Abe, 25:51.9.
31. Danielle Morris, MUHS, 27:14.8.
32. Julie Rickner, Mt. Abe, 27:15.3.
34. Carey Anne Howlett, MUHS, 27:43.7.
35. Lexi Doria, MUHS, 27:44.5.
39. Genevieve Chiola, Mt. Abe, 29:01.9.
40. Laura Sundstrom, Mt. Abe, 29:04.1.