By SCOTT NOVAK
Niles Daily Star

DOWAGIAC – Northridge and LaPorte, both from Indiana, captured the Viking Stampede girls’ and boys’ championships respectively on Saturday in less than ideal conditions.

Rain, which saturated the course and fell pretty much throughout the two races, made the course slippery and muddy.

Valerie Burns of Penn, who fell during last year’s race and injured her ankle, was able to navigate the treachterous conditions and came home with an easy victory in the girls’ race.

Burns, a former Steve’s Run winner in Dowagiac, ran a time of 19:29 to easily outdistance runner-up Ashley Mame of Mishawaka (Ind.), who ran a 19:48.
Host Niles got a strong finish from Maddie Rodts, who was sixth with a time of 20:12. No other Niles runner finished in the top 15.

Niles’ Anne Tyler finished 26th (24:49), Alex Haimbaugh 35th (22:13), Ava McKeel 77th (23:53) and Maureen Craig 80th (23:58).

Penn finished second behind Northridge for the team title, while Fairfield was third, Mishawaka fourth, Michigan City fifth, Lakeshore sixth and Niles seventh.

St. Joseph and LaPorte finished eighth and ninth.

LaPorte took the boys’ title by a wide margin.

The Slicers scored 47 points as a team, while runner-up Northridge finished with 92 points.

Mishawaka, Fairfield, Penn and St. Joseph rounded out the top five teams. Michigan City and Lakeshore were sixth and seventh. Niles did not have enough runners to post a team score.

Sam Felton of St. Joseph was the overall winner with a time of 16:33.
Mitch Hubnet of LaPorte finished second, five seconds behind Felton.

Niles’ Mark Calhoun finished fourth with a time of 16:53. He was the lone Viking runner to place in the top 15.

Sam VandenHeede was 26th (17:51) and Anthony Horvath 61st (19:12).

Viking Stampede
At Dowagiac Middle School
Girls’ results
Team Scores
Northridge 45, Penn 47, Fairfield 82, Mishawaka 135, Michigan City 140, Lakeshore 148, Niles 168, St. Joseph 170, LaPorte 259

Top 15
1. Valerie Burns (Penn) 19:29; 2. Ashley Mame (Mishawaka) 19:48; 3. Allie Pladson (Northridge) 19:55; 4. Diamond Setterberg (Fairfield) 19:59; 5. Kristina Galat (Penn) 20:08; 6. Madie Rodts (Niles) 20:12; 7. Autumn Elliott (Northridge) 20:18; 8. Corinne Cominator (Northridge) 20:24; 9. Brenna Gonderman (Penn) 20:36; 10. Kristina Parrish (Michigan City) 20:45; 11. Skylair Hilton (Northridge) 20:50; 12. Holly Bursley (Penn) 20:55; 13. Lauren Waltman (Fairfield) 20:57; 14. Sydney Shewmaker (Lakeshore) 20:59; 15. Aislinn Kinney (Michigan City) 21:00

Boy’s results
Team Score
LaPorte 47, Northridge 92, Mishawaka 96, Fairfield 106, Penn 108, St. Joseph 108, Michigan City 189, Lakeshore 237, Niles (DNF)

Top 15
1. Sam Felton (St. Joseph) 16:33; 2. Mitch Hubnet (LaPorte) 16:38; 3. Trevor Moore (Northridge) 16:49; 4. Mark Calhoun (Niles) 16:53.38; 5. Miguel Lozano (Mishawaka) 16:53.76; 6. Dillon Hinen (Fairfield) 16:58; 7. Jordan Smeltzer (Fairfield) 17:01; 8. Ricky Masters (Fairfield) 17:02; 9. Justin Miller (LaPorte) 17:04; 10. Josh Hojnacki (LaPorte) 17:06.13; 11. Stuart West (LaPorte) 17:06.70; 12. Justin Duvall (Mishawaka) 17:08; 13. Collin Ludwig (St. Joseph) 17:14; 14. Devin Duffy (Penn) 17:15; 15. Morgan Dearing (LaPorte) 17:17.10