By By SCOTT NOVAK / Dowagiac Daily News
A pair of Indiana schools captured the girls' and boys' titles at the fourth annual Viking Stampede held Saturday at Dowagiac Middle School.
The Niles cross country teams both finished in ninth place.
Northridge (Middlebury, Ind.) dominated the girls' meet, winning with a team total of 24 points.
Marshall was a distant second with 100 points, while Fort Wayne (Ind.) Northrop was third with 108 points and Mishawaka (Ind.) fourth with 117 points. Lakeshore rounded out the top five with 124 points. Niles finished with 220 points.
Fort Wayne Northrop won the boys' title with 58 points. In a much more competitive field, LaPorte (Ind.) finished with 67 points and Northridge third with 80 points.
Portage Northern finished fourth and Michigan City (Ind.) fifth with 95 and 98 points respectively. Niles finished with 261 points.
Aimee Gingerich of Northridge was the overall girls' champion with a time of 20:03 on the newly designed course at DMS. Gingerich was one of six Northridge runners to place in the top 10.
Niles' Samantha Brawley led the Lady Vikings with a 22nd place finished and a time of 21:57.
Elizabeth VandenHeede was 44th with a time of 23:35, while Autumn Grayson was 45th with a clocking of 23:41.
Rounding out the order of finish for the Lady Vikings were Sara Tyler, who was 51st (24:24), Sara Crabtree, who was 58th (24:50), Nellie Couquillard, who was 62nd (26:44) and Stephanie Koloff, who was 63rd (28:12).
LaPorte's Mike Fout captured the boys' individual championship with a time of 15:45.
Mark Calhoun led Niles with a 45th place finish and a time of 19:09.
Andrew Karsten was 51st with a time of 19:51, while Daniel Geiger was 53rd with a clocking of 20:35.
Rounding out the Viking finishers were Justin Kronewitter, who was 54th (20:44), Greg Orteze, who was 58th (21:00), Sean Calhoun, who was 61st (21:39) and Anthony Horvath, who was 64th (22:05).
Viking Stampede
Girls' Team Results
Northridge 24, Marshall 100, Fort Wayne Northrop 108, Mishawaka 117, Lakeshore 124, Michigan City 135, Portage Northern 147, LaPorte 178, Niles 220
Top 10 Individuals
1. Aimee Gingerich, (NO) 20:03, 2. Karissa Cominator (NO) 20:18, 3. Mary Kate Mellen (MC) 20:22, 4. Hannah Miller (NO) 20:27, 5. Amanda Balk (L) 20:28, 6. Amanda Weaver (MA) 20:39, 7. Sienna Valdez (MA) 20:42, 8. Megan Miller (NO) 20:50, 9. Katy Ritchie (NO) 20:52, 10. Hanna Mercer (NO) 20:52
Boys' Team Results
Fort Wayne Northrop 58, LaPorte 67, Northridge 80, Portage Northern 95, Michigan City 98, Mishawaka 138, Parchment 168, Marshall 251, Niles 261, Lakeshore 276
Top 10 Individuals
1. Mike Fout (LAP) 15:45, 2. Bobby Moldovan (FW) 16:08, 3. Loren Spirito (NO) 16:26, 4. Craig Padgett (MI) 16:31, 5. Sam Bird (FW) 16:38, 6. Ladd Mercer (NO) 16:50, 7. Nick Tecca (PAR) 16:51, 8. Andrew Albert (NO) 17:01, 9. Kiel Lovekin (LAP) 17:09, 10. Robert Braddy (MC) 17:11