By SCOTT NOVAK
Niles Daily Star

DOWAGIAC – Despite landing three runners in the top 10 in both the boys and girls Big 16 Conference West Division Jamboree on Wednesday at Dowagiac Middle School, the Niles Vikings cross country teams finished third and fourth respectively.

St. Joseph won both races. The girls’ team finished with 48 points to edge runner-up Mattawan by three points. Lakeshore was third with 59 points and Niles fourth with 66.
Mattawan’s Elizabeth Hinkel held off Niles’ Madie Rodts to earn the top spot in the girls’ race.

Hinkel ran a 19:36 and Rodts a 19:40.

The Lady Vikings’ Bridgett Carpenter finished seventh (21:29) and Anne Tyler eighth (21:37).

Shannon McKeel finished 25th (23:21), Maureen Craig 28th (23:29), Alex Haimbaugh 32nd (23:43) and Ava McKeel 40th (24:33). Allie Hoyt finished 49th, Taylor Hess 53rd and Emily Smith 58th.

Mattawan’s Alex Standiford tore up the Dowagiac Middle School course with a time of 16:07.

Niles’ Mark Calhoun finished third with a 16:26, while Sam VandenHeede was sixth with a time of 17:18 and Anthony Horvath 10th with a time of 18:09.

Barry Weddle was 30th (19:57) and Kyle Ballge 45th (21:25).

Big 16 West Division Jamboree
At Dowagiac Middle School
Girls’ team scores
St. Joseph 48, Mattawan 51, Lakeshore 59, Niles 66, Benton Harbor DNF

Top 10
1. Elizabeth Hinkel (M) 19:36, 2. Madie Rodts (N) 19:40, 3. Rachel Bendewald (SJ) 20:39, 4. Lindsay Macmillan (M) 20:48.06, 5. Sydney Shewmaker (L) 20:48.63, 6. Kayla Matheny (L) 21:17, 7. Bridgett Carpenter (N) 21:29, 8. Anne Tyler (N) 21:37, 9. Ashley Moyer (SJ) 21:42, 10. Allyson Garstecki (SJ) 21:48

Boys’ team scores
St. Joseph 30, Mattawan 43, Niles 69, Lakeshore 96, Benton Harbor 140

Top 10
1. Alex Standiford (M) 16:07, 2. Sam Felton (SJ) 16:14, 3. Mark Calhoun (N) 16:26, 4. Collin Ludwig (SJ) 16:37, 5. Thomas Meeker (M) 17:03, 6. Sam VandenHeede (N) 17:18, 7. Chris Pfahler (SJ) 17:27, 8. David Burkhard (SJ) 17:46, 9. Joseph Beemer (SJ) 17:53, 10. Anthony Horvath (N) 18:09