CROTHERSVILLE

High school cross-country racing has returned to Crothersville.

On Tuesday the Tigers played host to New Washington, Southwestern (Hanover) and Switzerland County at Countryside Park.

The Southwestern girls defeated Switzerland County 25-30 as neither Crothersville nor New Washington had enough runners for team scores.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]

Click here to purchase photos from this gallery

The Rebels also won the boys race, 19-42, over New Washington as Crothersville and Switzerland did not field complete teams.

A total of 21 boys and 18 girls ran around ball diamonds and through woods. Crothersville was without one boy runner (Noah Hoskins) and one girl runner (Grace Wilson) due to sickness.

Crothersville Coach Carl Bowman said the last time a cross-country race was conducted in Crothersville, “was approximately six years ago, and that was a junior high race. The last high school race was probably 10 years ago because everybody went to invitationals rather than wanting to do individual meets.

“This is the first time we’ve really had a course that has a little bit of change in land, trees, flat, a little bit of hills and everything so it will be interesting to see these people have their AD’s let (CHS Athletics Director Greg) Kilgore know what they think about the course.”

The course was completed last September.

“I hope they all like it because I think it’s a pretty good course,” Bowman said. “The times weren’t bad either, so that worked out pretty good, too. The last girl to come in ran 33:25 and she has been running 33:33.

“If you went to certain places you could see a lot of the course, and there places to sit down. I think it worked out really well.”

Leah Anders of Switzerland County was first for the girls at 20:46, and Piper Hensley was third for the Tigers at 24:20.

“Piper has been consistently 24 and she ran that (24:20) again today, so her time was pretty consistent,” Bowman said.

Bradley Winston of Southwestern was the individual winner for the boys at 17:30.

Lane Wienhorst led the Tigers by placing fifth at 19:27, David Rose ran 20:35 in sixth, and Cable Spall was 11th for the Tigers at 21:46.

“That’s probably what Lane normally runs,” Bowman said. “He ran a little faster than that Saturday (at Salem). I think David did better on his time today.”

The Tigers will play host to Shawe Memorial for another meet Thursday.

“Hopefully the times will get better,” Bowman said. “Everything considered, I think it was a pretty good day and I hope these teams liked it and want them come back.”