By By ERIKA PICKLES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Niles' boy's cross country team dominated the Berrien Springs Invitational Wednesday, blowing past 14 other schools to claim the No. 1 position.
The Vikings had four runners place in the top 15, three of them taking top 10 honors.
Steve Scally finished third for Niles with a time of 18:09.
Andy Karsten took sixth with a time of 18:36, Dan Geiger finished ninth with a time of 18:50 and Nate Allison took 12th with a time of 18:57.
Other Viking runners to finish were Brett Ortiz, who placed 21st with a time of 19:35, Derek Purcell, who placed 39th with a time of 20:40 and Andy Wuthnow, who placed 54th with a time of 21:31.
Edwardsburg's Michael Penninger was the overall boy's winner with a time of 17:52.
Second place went to Richard Dorstewitz of Lawrence, who finished with a time of 17:53.
Buchanan's Harper Sulier finished 10th with his time of 18:55.
Jon Borr finished 23rd with his time of 19:44; Nick Wheetley finished 34th with a time of 20:20; Jon Young finished 37th with a time of 20:32; Josh Tidey placed 59th with a time of 21:34; Ryan Darmos finished 77th with a time of 23:46; and Allan Morse took 83rd with a time of 24:47.
The Bucks took fifth place.
Niles' girls cross country team also had another good showing at the Invitational. The Vikes took fourth place out of 10 schools competing.
Sam Brawley finished first overall with her time of 20:52 and Liz VandenHeede finished second with her time of 21:30.
Viking runner Autumn Grayson also finished in the top 10 with her time of 22:37, giving her a ninth place finish.
Other Niles runners to finish were Tami Madison, who finished 39th with a time of 25:20; Nikki Horvath, who placed 49th with her time of 25:59; Amanda Smith, who placed 57th with her time of 26:48; Mehgen Flynn, who finished 58th with her time of 27:01; and Chelsea Clark, who placed 93rd with her time of 31:48.
"The girls had another great outing as they continued to drop their times and move up in the pack," VandenHeede added.
The Vikings return to action on Sept. 21 when they host the Big 16 West Division Jamboree set to begin at 5 p.m. at Southwestern Michigan College
Team results
1. Niles
2. Lawrence
3. LMC
4. Hartford
5. Buchanan
6. Dowagiac
7. Lakeshore
8. Berrien Springs
9. Bridgman
10. Edwardsburg
11. Coloma
12. New Buffalo
13. Eau Claire
14. Cassopolis
Girls
1. Bangor
2. Berrien Springs
3. Edwardsburg
4. Niles
5. Hartford
6. River Valley
7. Lawrence
8. Buchanan
9. Watervaliet
10. Bridgman
11. Dowagiac
12. Coloma