STURGIS – Host Sturgis won both the boys’ and girls’ Big 16 Conference Cross Country Championships on Saturday morning.

The Trojans had 63 points in the boys’ portion of the meet to easily outdistance runner-up St. Joseph, which finished with 81 points.

Niles finished eighth with 198 points.

Alex Standiford of Mattawan won the boys’ race with a time of 16:25. Niles’ Mark Calhoun finished third with a time of 16:39.

The Vikings’ Sam VandenHeede was 13th with a time of 17:11.

Marshall’s Brianna Kalisz won the girls’ race with a clocking of 19:35. Niles’ Madie Rodts finished fourth with a time of 19:43. The Vikings’ Anne Tyler placed 24th with a time of 21:16.

SMAC Cross Country Championships
At Sturgis High School
Boys team scores
Sturgis 63, St. Joseph 81, Portage Central 93, Mattawan 143, Kalamazoo Central 150, Kalamazoo Loy Norrix 168, Battle Creek Harper Creek 185, Niles 198, Coldwater 248, Marshall 257, Lakeshore 269, Battle Creek Lakeview 348.

Top 10
1. Alex Standiford (Mattawan) 16:25, 2. Joe Billian (Loy Norrix) 16:34, 3. Mark Calhoun (Niles) 16:39, 4. Collin Ludwig (St. Joseph) 16:46, 5. Sam Felton (St. Joseph) 16:47, 6. Alex Waldvogel (Portage C.) 16:50, 7. Zach Warner (Portage C.) 16:51, 8. Kam Mills (Sturgis) 17:01, 9. Thomas Meeker (Mattawan) 17:06, 10. Matt Huff (Sturgis) 17:06

Niles finishers
3. Mark Calhoun 16:39, 13. Sam VandenHeede 17:11, 28. Anthony Horvath 17:50, 75. Barry Weddle 20:25, 79. Kyle Ballge 20:42

Girls team scores
Sturgis 67, Portage Northern 89, Mattawan 126, Portage Central 150, St. Joseph 151, Lakeshore 151, Lakeview 185, Marshall 190, Niles 195, Harper Creek 209, Coldwater 227, Kalamazoo Central 283.

Top 10
1. Brianna Kalisz (Marshall) 19:35, 2. Nicole Krajewski (BC Lakeview) 19:41, 3. Elley Hinkel (Mattawan) 19:41, 4 Madie Rodts (Niles) 19:43, 5. Alex Keyser (Sturgis) 19:46, 6. Becca Schott (Coldwater) 19:57, 7. Kelsey Keyser (Sturgis) 20:01), 8. Ann Marie Arseneau (Sturgis) 20:11, 9. Mary Boyd (Sturgis) 20:13, 10. Amanda Weidner (Harper Creek) 20:23

Niles finishers
4. Madie Rodts 19:43, 24. Anne Tyler 21:16, 27. Bridgett Carpenter 21:27, 59. Maureen Craig 22:46, 81 Taylor Hess 25:07, 82. Shannon McKeel 25:29, 84. Allie Hoyt 25:55