ESSEX — Middlebury Union High School senior Max Moulton won the Division II boys’ race at the Essex Invitational on Saturday, helping the Tiger boys to a second-place finish in a tight battle with Montpelier. Moulton finished the 5K race in 17:14.6, nearly seven seconds ahead of second-place Will LaCroix of Rice.
Ryan Biette, a junior, also cracked the top 10 for MUHS, but the Solons edged the Tigers for first place in team scoring, 50-56.
The Eagle boys were seventh in D-II, scoring 159 points. Mount Abraham junior Chris Carter took 15th for the top Eagle effort.
Vergennes Union High School only started four boys and did not score as a team. Sophomore Silas Mullin took 44th at the major early-season event to pace the Commodores.
On the girls’ side, the top local finisher was Eagle senior Natalie May in 20th. The Eagle girls were fifth out of nine teams with 150 points.
Emily Fleming took 35th to pace the Tigers, who were seventh in D-II with 179 points. VUHS did not compete in the girls’ race.
The complete boys’ teams’ scores were: 1. Montpelier, 50; 2. MUHS, 56; 3. Rice, 63; 4. Stowe, 70; 5. Northfield, 151; 6. Missisquoi, 156; 7. Mt. Abe, 159.
The complete girls’ teams’ scores were: 1. Harwood, 18; 2. Keene (NH), 49; 3. Montpelier, 102; 4. Rice, 130; 5. Mt. Abe, 150; 6. Missisquoi, 167; 7. MUHS, 179; 8. Stowe, 180; 9. Northfield, 196.
DIVISION II BOYS
Complete results for local varsity boys’ runners were:
1. Max Moulton, MUHS, 17:14.6.
10. Ryan Biette, MUHS, 18:31.9.
13. David Dregallo, MUHS, 18:54.0.
15. Chris Carter, Mt. Abe, 19:10.5.
18. Sam Ferguson, MUHS, 19:18.6.
21. Nikhil Plouffe, MUHS, 19:26.1.
24. Matt Becker, MUHS, 19:56.4.
27. James Whitley, MUHS, 20:25.2.
34. Eliot Brett, Mt. Abe,           21:28.5.
42. Connor Norland, Mt. Abe, 22:25.4.
44. Silas Mullin, VUHS, 22:58.7.
47. Robin Kuhns, Mt. Abe, 23:07.8.
48. Nick Turner, Mt. Abe, 23:08.1.
52. Lyn Ackert-Smith, Mt. Abe, 23:37.2.
53. Matteo Palmer, VUHS, 23:46.5.
54. Peter Foley, Mt. Abe, 25:00.7.
56. Wesley Miedema, VUHS, 25:27.1.
60. Jesse Barnes, VUHS, 32:39.2.
DIVISION II GIRLS
Complete results for local varsity girls’ runners were:
20. Natalie May, Mt. Abe, 23:16.3.
25. Bakari Olivetti, Mt. Abe, 23:49.2.
35. Emily Fleming, MUHS, 24:47.7.
37. CareyAnne Howlett, MUHS, 24:55.6.
39. Danielle Morris, MUHS, 25:50.2.
40. Genevieve Chiola, Mt. Abe, 25:51.1.
43. Alison Cherrier, MUHS, 26:29.7.
44. Sarah Sodaro, Mt. Abe, 26:34.2.
45. Laura Sundstrom, Mt. Abe, 26:40.4.
47. Harmony Taggart, Mt. Abe, 26:53.7.
53. Greta Groves, MUHS, 28:02.7.
57. Anna Iliff, Mt. Abe, 29:35.8.