WATERTOWN — Huron’s Samantha Shoultz challenged for a top-10 finish during the Watertown Cross Country Invitational on Thursday.
Shoultz used a time of 20:48.00 to finish 14th in the 83-runner field for the girls’ varsity race. Her finish helped the Tiges to a 10th-place finish in the team standings.
Ellie Abraham of Brookings won the girls’ varsity race in 18:46.00, while Melanie Jacobs of Aberdeen Central was second at 19:38.00. Brandon Valley teammates Haylee Waterfall and Allison Rief were third and fourth, respectively, with times of 20:01.00 and 20:09.00. Sydney Lather of Sioux Falls Washington was fifth at 20:19.00.
Jordan Adams was 55th for Huron at 22:40.00, while Victoriah Buffington, Isabella Shreeve and Alexis Feenstra finished in spots No. 69-71, respectively, with times of 23:19.00; 23:22.00 and 23:26.00.
Aberdeen Central and Brandon Valley both finished with 51 points in the girls’ varsity team standings. The Golden Eagles were awarded the top spot on a tiebreaker. Sioux Falls Washington was third at 99, followed by Sioux Falls O’Gorman at 121 and Pierre at 138.
The Tigers were unable to field a full team for the boys’ varsity race. Frank Hines led the way with a time of 19:26.00 to finish 62nd, while Carlos Yanes was three spots back at 19:32.00.

Will Radke rounded out the lineup for Huron with a time of 22:01.00.
Sioux Falls Washington won the varsity boys’ title with 28 points. Aberdeen Central was second at 67, followed by Sioux Falls Roosevelt at 85, Sioux Falls O’Gorman at 98 and Brandon Valley at 129.
Aberdeen Central teammates Jackson Harrison and Aaron Ryan were first and second, respectively, in the varsity boys’ race with times of 16:29.00 and 16:34.00. Sioux Falls Washington teammates Bonheur Mvuyekure and Christopher Zahn were third and fourth, respectively, at 16:43.00 and 16:57.00, while Dylan Pierson of Sioux Falls O’Gorman was fifth at 16:57.00.
Braylee Thomas turned in a top-10 finish for the Tigers in the girls’ junior varsity race. She was eighth overall in the 69-runner field with a time of 18:44.00. Alissa Gauer was 40th at 20:39.00, while Susana Olvera-Camacho was 47th at 20:52.00.
Angel Granadoes was the top runner for the Tigers in the junior varsity boys’ race with a time of 17:51 to finish 55th. Gonzalo Quispe-Laura and Spencer LaFortune finished at 18:01.00 and 18:11.00, respectively, for Huron, while Shely Vanden Hoek had a time of 21:17.00
Gavin Moeding was the top finisher for the Tigers in the boys’ middle school race. He was 48th at 12:31.00.
Jacob Harms, Colt Dunkelberger and Angel Olivo-Porcayo occupied spots No. 62-64, respectively, for Huron with times of 12:58.00, 13:00.00 and 13:03.00.
Peyton Schock and Tatum Peterson were No. 38 and 40, respectively for the Tigers in the girls’ middle school race with times of 13:31.00 and 13:32.00. Khyannin Eagle Star and Sawyer Hennrich were NO. 61 and 62, respecitvely, at 14:20.00 and 14:22.00.
The Huron runners are now off until the Roger Loecker Invitational, which will be held Oct. 12 at Broadland Creek Golf Course.

Photo:

Huron teammates Carlos Yanes, left, and Frank Hines compete in the Watertown Invitational on Thursday.

Photo by Roger Merriam of the Watertown Public Opinion