NASHVILLE — Last year, Vivienne Siefker ran in the elite race at the Eagle Classic in Brown County.

This year, she and her team ran in the varsity race.

Based on Siefker’s elite race performance in 2021, running a 19:22, she felt pretty good about her chances Saturday.

Right from the start, Siefker jumped out to a lead and never looked back. She claimed first place in the girls varsity AA race with a time of 19:35.5.

“I felt really good. I was confident about this race,” Siefker said. “I was like, ‘Everything is going my way.’”

Siefker’s first-place finish helped the Owls have the best team score, as well. Seymour earned the first-place trophy with a team score of 113.

Kinsley Folsom had a top-10 finish in 20:54, followed by Lyndsey Greenawalt 22:12, Kelly Beavers 22:23, AnnMarie Shuler 23:32, Lauren Dowell 24:30 and Gracie Adams 25:20.

Siefker said she normally starts races slow, but that wasn’t the case Saturday.

“I usually get boxed in, but this race, I found an outside way, and I just took off,” Siefker said. “I was feeling really good, so I just ran with it. Normally, I try to stay behind someone for a mile and then take my shot, but I was just feeling great.”

By the end of the season, Siefker hopes she can break 19 minutes.

“I have a lot of confidence in myself,” she said.

The Brownstown Central girls team was in the varsity A race, and the Braves placed 11th as a team with a score of 253.

Trinity Cody led the Braves with a time of 22:30. After Cody was Kelsey Schneider in 22:33, then Cambell Shasteen 23:51, Maddy Schepman 23:51, Tori Lokey 27:18, Madison Stuckwisch 27:22 and Chelsie Combs 28:13.

Trinity Lutheran’s Cheyenne Campbell also ran in the varsity A race as an individual, and she was a couple of places behind Cody with a time of 22:50.3.

In the boys varsity A race, the Brownstown boys team placed sixth overall with a team score of 155. Chance Ratliff led the Braves with a 10th-place finish in 17:52.

Bradley Edwards ran a 19:01, Traven Wellman 19:11, Garrett Driver 20:05, Shane Ratliff 20:14, Dylan Wischmeier 21:19 and Evan Sibrel 21:39.

Driver ran a personal-best time.

“This course is definitely my favorite, definitely flat,” Driver said. “A little challenging on the back end of the course, but it’s definitely good.”

Driver said he got off to a good start and then got into his pace about 2,000 meters in. Driver is a good 400 runner for Brownstown during track season, and he says he uses cross-country as a way to stay in shape.

“400 is my race,” he said. “I use this to stay in shape. If I PR, great, but I just want to stay in shape.”

In the varsity boys AA race, Seymour placed 13th overall with a team score of 282. Senior Jude Bane had a top-five finish, placing fifth overall with a time of 16:49.

After Bane were Micah Jablonski in 18:18, Sam Rockey in 18:48, Kylan Ellerbe 18:51, Carter Murphy 18:54, Wes Proffer 19:29 and Landon Rivera 19:32.

Runners on both Brownstown and Seymour who didn’t run in the varsity race got to run in the reserve races.

For the Seymour girls, Grace Lewis ran a 24:13, Genesis Zarate Bello 28:23, Kaelin Grube 29:00, Jenifer Hankins 29:49 and Caitlin Thomasma 30:33.

For the Brownstown girls, Claire Schepman ran a 27:51, followed by Maddie Singleton 28:44, Rozellyn Abell 30:32, Riley Pumphrey 30:58, Camryn Thompson 31:25, Avery Harrison 31:32, Lexi Wheeles 33:40 and Brynn Burton 34:07.

For the Seymour boys, Ty Tormoehlen ran a 19:29, followed by Lucas Jablonski 21:06, Jeremiah Myers 21:59, Will Proffer 22:40, Miguel Anderson 23:05 and Harrison Wetzel 25:52.

For the Brownstown boys, Damien Owens ran a 21:24, Brady Blann ran 24:00, Braedyn Stidams ran 24:42 and Jacob Henson ran 24:50.

Both the Owls and Braves will next race in the Ray Gerkin Invitational at Jennings County this Saturday.