Submitted by NVSS Cross Country Coach Brian Nemethy
Under sunny skies and a temperature of 11 Celsius, the 45th Annual High School X- Country Championships got under way Nov. 1 in Victoria, BC.
In separate races, 235 Senior boys and 225 Senior girls took to the trails to find out who would be the top male and female runner in the Province. The boys had to run a grueling 6.4 km race ( 4 miles).
Nathan Tadesse from North Surrey Secondary crossed the line first in a time of 20 minutes 34 seconds which equals a 5.06 mile pace. In the girls race, Hannah Bennison from Vernon Secondary covered the 4.4 km race (2.75 miles) in 14 minutes 59 second to win the girls championship. She ran a 5 minute and 30 second mile pace.
From the North Central Zone 48 runners headed down to Victoria and took part in the Championship.
In the boys event, Alexander Nemethy from Nechako Valley was running his 5th and last championship.
He placed 12th overall in a time of 21 minutes 40 seconds and was the top male from North Central Zone. Brandon Balbirine from 100 Mile House and Isaac Goodrich form College Heights were 2nd and 3rd respectively.
The top female went to Olivia Baptiste , grade 10, from Correlieu Secondary as she finished 14th in a time of 16 minutes 16 seconds.
Julia Babicz from College Heights Secondary and Kyra Teetzen from Correlieu Secondary came 2nd and 3rd from the North Central Zones.
Alexander Nemethy’s placing (12th ) is the 2nd best place ever from a NVSS X-Country runner at Provincials. Ross Wiens placed 10th in 1983.
Full scores:
From Nechako Valley
Boys Team who placed 8th:
Alexander Nemethy placed 12th
Simon Nemethy Gr. 8 placed 69
Charlie Borek Gr 10 placed 83
Jonathan Mueller Gr. 10 placed 117
Kelton McKee Gr 12 placed 142
Matthew Ebert Gr 10 placed 143
Kyler Boucher Gr 9 placed 205
Tristal Buller Gr 12 placed 217
Girls Team who placed 11th.
Kaitlyn Verduzco Gr 11 placed 68th
Anika Wallace Gr 12 placed 89th
Hayley Stephen Gr 8 placed 103
Georgia Verduzco Gr 9 placed 106
Bridian James Schneider gr 10 placed 153
Angela Kulchar Gr 11 placed 178
Taryn Steph Gr 11 placed 185
