The Columbus Community Wildcats hosted their annual Mike Jay Cross Country Invitational yesterday. It would be the Winfield-Mount Union Wolves who proved to be the biggest winners, taking home the boys’ team championship. WMU’s score of 39 was better than the host by just eight points. Sophomore Kholby Newsom led the Wolves with a third-place finish in a time of 18 minutes and 24 seconds. Junior Gabe Hemsworth crossed the finish line 14 seconds later to end up fourth. Freshman Bowen Thomson had the last top-10 time at 19 minutes and 44 seconds, while senior Jacob Haines was 14th in 20:12 and junior Ty Scorpil finished 17th in 20:24.

Despite the runner-up finish as a team, Columbus had an impressive day in the boys’ meet with four medalists. Junior Damian Vergara finished fifth in 18 minutes and 50 seconds. Senior Tyler Humiston clocked in at almost 19 minutes and 22 seconds to earn eighth, while sophomore Bryan Tlatenchi was one spot and 11 seconds behind him. Junior Cael Phillips rounded out the Wildcats’ top finishers with a 15th-place time of 20:16.

The WACO Warriors also had a pair of medalists in the boys’ race. Junior Keriran Luitjens was 13th in 20:11, while sophomore Isaac Rich was 18th in 20:30. The top boys’ finish for Highland came from junior Jackson Schneider in 40th.

The Huskies did have the best showing for area teams in the girls’ 5k thanks to two medalists. Freshman Siena Stanerson continued her excellent debut season at Highland by finishing eighth in just under 24 minutes and nine seconds. Fellow Huskies freshman Erika Thomann was 11th at a few ticks under 24:42. Freshman Naveiah Garza represented Columbus on the medal stand with a 10th-place time of almost 24 minutes and 38 seconds. The top time for WACO came from sophomore Justine Lynn in 18th place, while WMU’s best finish was senior Emma Richardson in 28th.