Demons dominant at Obenauer Invitational

The Westlake girls gave another glimpse of how strong their lineup is, winning the gold team title.

At the Vermilion Obenauer Invitational on Sept. 30, the Westlake girls gave another glimpse of how strong their lineup is, winning the gold team title with 27 points behind a performance in which the Demons swept the top three spots.

Junior Erica Francesconi, a first-year runner, led the way, clocking in with a personal record of 19:15.86, which is the fastest time in The Morning Journal coverage area this season.

Freshman Emma Jaros was behind her with a 20:03.93, and sophomore Teagan Walsh was third with a time of 20:07.77.

Westlake also had freshman Ashley Boyd come in eighth (20:57.71) and senior Ellie Templeton finished 13th (21:15.86). They ran an average time of 20:20.23.

Francesconi said the goal of the day was having all three of them finish at the top. She was more excited for her teammates’ finish than her own.

“I’m so glad all of us finished at the top three,” she said. “I couldn’t be more proud. I wasn’t even going for a time here. I just didn’t want to see anybody in front of me and I wanted to see my two teammates right behind me.”

Francesconi had three runners get in her way during the homestretch — otherwise her time could have been even lower. But with the Southwestern Conference Championships a couple weeks away, Francesconi and the Demons look poised to make a serious run.

“We are dominant right now and I’m so happy,” Francesconi added. “I’m hoping we can stay strong, and I have a good feeling we’re going to regionals as a team together. But we have stay healthy and keep working hard the way we have been.”

Amherst junior Josh Hill won the boys gold race comfortably with a 16:18.71, ahead of North Ridgeville’s Milan Seiber (16:53.56). The Comets took third overall and set nine personal records.

“My strategy before the race was to go out between 5:20 and 5:30, and I went out at 5:37,” Hill said. “My goal was to get a feel for what I do at state. So the first mile was just a jog, and the last two I sprinted. This isn’t a big meet, so I like to try different things, so when I do get in big meets, I know my strategy and it gives me more confidence.

“I know I can expect great things for the rest of the season.”

The Brookside girls won the girls Purple race title with 35 points for the second-straight season, and ran an average time of 22:01.98. Junior Mackenzie Glass placed third (21:13.31), while teammates Madissyn Valdez (21:34.02) and Alicia Fike (21:40.46) finished behind her.

Firelands sophomore Alessandra Davis won the individual title with a personal record (20:36.33), ahead of Vermilion senior Emily Wagner (21:01.91).

Wagner, who set a personal record, added that she was satisfied coming in second on her own home course.

“This is my senior year and I just wanted to do really good on this course,” she said. “I was able to smash my old PR from my sophomore year and that was awesome. I really wanted to win it but I’m glad it was Alessandra that beat me and it’s someone I respect as an athlete. Moving forward, I would really like to move out of district because I never have. But I’m in a really tough district, but as long as I keep that low 21, I should be able to move out.”

The Bay boys team scored 40 points to win the title in the purple race, doing it with mostly freshmen. Freshman Jude Ault finished as a runner-up (17:06.04), behind Perkins’ Joel Duffield (16:08.48).

The Rockets also had Will Warren place fourth (17:35.46) and Ezra Fleeman take seventh (17:54.54).

“My season has been good so far and I’ve had great races,” Ault said. “My goal is to keep running good and break 17, and as a team we want to win the state title.”