Brock Eaves (left) and Angie Wilfert were the overall winners at the inaugural Eddies 5K Run held Saturday. Wilfert is a former teacher at Edwardsburg. (Leader photo/AMELIO RODRIGUEZ)

A few minutes after he crossed the finish line and was the overall winner (18:19) Saturday at the Edwardsburg 5K run, Brock Eaves ran into an old friend.

Female overall winner Angie Wilfert (20:31) greeted a surprised Eaves during a cool down behind the Edwardsburg football field.

“And I taught that one,” Wilfert said while looking at Eaves.

The 26-year old Wilfert was Eaves’ sixth grade social studies’ teacher at Edwardsburg Middle School

The 14-year old Eaves will be a freshman this coming year at Edwardsburg High School.

“I always discussed running with her when she was my teacher,” Eaves said. “When I saw her today I didn’t even recognize her. I know that his parents were into running and I know that he had a lot of motivation,” Wilfert said about Eaves.”In the sixth grade he was already talking about races that he was going off and running. When I saw him at the starting line I knew that he would be one of the top guys.”

Despite being in front of the pack, Eaves wasn’t satisfied with his performance.

“Under the super warm conditions I didn’t think I ran my best time,” Eaves said. “I was actually shooting for a 17:30 today, but I didn’t expect this kind of heat and it being this humid.”

Running runs in Eaves’ family.

“Running was brought into my family and when I was little and I fell in love with it,” Eaves said. “My mom (Tracy) is going on her 54th marathon. She’s training for the iron man right now. I really got into some serious training around the seventh grade.

“She always tells me not to pressure myself because a lot of these races are just for fun. A lot of the races I run are for charity. She reminds me that it’s not about me and that it’s no big deal if I don’t win.She tells me if I don’t run a good time that I’ll do better the next time.”

Days before the race members of the boys and girls country teams at Edwardsburg ran the course around Edwardsburg High School to prepare for Saturday..

“The course is mostly flat,” Eaves said. “There’s some small hills by some of the roads.” Wilfert graduated from Edwardsburg High School in 2007 and she participated in the state finals as a freshman, sophomore and senior.

She’s currently an assistant girls cross country coach at Penn High School. The Kingsmen finished fourth in the state last year.

“I actually got a personal-best time time,” Wilfert said. “The last time I got a PR I was 17. I was wearing this (Edwardsburg High School) jersey so I thought it was appropriate to wear it again today.

Wilfert runs the most with her Penn cross country team.  Five days a week she gets up at 6 a.m. and runs with the girls.

“I run a few road races here and there,” Wilfert said. “I usually run the Sunburst every year. Steve’s Run I run with the Penn girls now.”

Eddies 5K

At Edwardsburg

Male overall winner

Brock Eaves 18:19

Female overall winner

Angie Wilfert 20:31

Male age division winners

7-10

Julian Means Flewellen

24:08

11-14

Killian Marshall 24:13

15-19

Aaron Denzer 18:35

20-24

Brandon Parsons 21:17

25-29

Jesse Binns 23:56

30-34

Erik Krantz 22:08

35-39

Matthew Morrow 18:35

40-44

John Horvath 20:03

45-49

Scott Smith 18:59

50-54

David Dodd 20:15

60-64

Avril Howe 23:46

65-older

Richard Lauer 22:25

Female age division winners

7-10

Amelia Coluin 31:00

11-14

Chloe Bartz 25:24

15-19

Nicole Hipskind 23:53

20-24

Brekelle

Wiendenmannott 28:42

25-29

Ashley Sill 25:54

30-34

Billie Austin 27:10

35-39

Jamie Thomson 20:57

40-44

Amy Anderson 24:15

45-49

Dawn LaPierre 22:40

50-54

Pam Rothi 26:24

55-59

Deniese Haughee 25:51

60-64

Janet Barfoot 53:06