Led by freshman Claire Rogers, the Switzerland County Lady Pacer varsity cross country team captured the team title in the Ohio River Valley Conference meet held Saturday at Hanover College.
The Lady Pacers dominated the event, placing five runners in the Top 12 to earn All Conference honors, with the sixth place runner crossing the line in 14th place. The Lady Pacers posted an impressive team total of just 26 points.
Rogers continued to dominate, covering the 3.1-mile course in a personal record time of 19:45.
She was followed by Gracie White in fifth place overall with a time of 22:10; Amber Detmer came home in sixth place with a time of 22:20; and Alisha Detmer made it three in a row, finishing in seventh place with a time of 22:25.
Carlee Boggs earned All Conference honors by running to an 11th place finish in a time of 23:10; and Ashlyn Covington placed 14th with a time of 23:42. Bri Stow finished in 30th place overall with a time of 32:48; and Terra Oeffinger was 32nd in a time of 37:33.
With the girls running away with the conference crown, the Pacer boys team finished fourth overall in what may have been the closest team event in ORVC history.
Rising Sun won the conference championship with a total of 60 points, but three other teams were within seven points of the title. Switzerland County finished with a team total of 67, but finished fourth in the tight competition.
In that tight boys race, the Pacers saw two runners earn All Conference laurels — Cooper Hon ran to a second place finish with a time of 17:59 and Nathan Furnish finished in sixth place overall with a time of 18:25.
Other Pacer finishers included: Dylan Sullivan who finished in 20th place with a time of 20:22; Derek Hoskins finished in 24th place with a personal record time of 20:47; Kadyn Riley finished 29th with a personal record time of 21:33; Daniel Whitham ran to a 39th overall placing with a personal record time of 24:06; and Jackson Sparks finished in 40th place with a time of 24:07.
Both Pacer teams will now gear up for the Sectional meet, which will be held this Saturday, October 9th, at Hardy Lake near Scottsburg.