Stinson, DeGroot take lead on West Kootenay X-country tour
By The Nelson Daily Sports
By The Nelson Daily Sports
Bombers Andrea Stinson and Shawn DeGroot look to be the early favourites to win it all on the West Kootenay High School Cross Country tour after the pair captured the opening two races of the season.
The two L.V. Rogers racers topped Kaslo’s J. V. Humphries event to open the season before making it two-for-two at the second stop on the circuit last week hosted by the Mount Sentinel Wildcats.
Stinson, who dominated the West Kootenay Senior Girl’s division last season, edged out fellow teammate Kiraya Spencer at Mount Sentinel race held near the Slocan Pools in South Slocan.
Third was Kia Weir of Mount Sentinel. Ellie Hewat of J. V. Humphries in Kaslo.
Stinson opened the season winning in Kaslo over Hewat, Spencer and Laura Hunter of J.V. Humphries.
Meanwhile DeGroot also posted his second Senior Boy’s win of the season edging out Lukas Smith of J.V. Humphries. It was the second consecutive race the two have battled for the top spot in the senior boy’s division.
Hunter Stanway of J.V. Humphries and Steven Hernandez of Mount Sentinel finished third and fourth, respectively. DeGroot won in Kaslo over Smith, Stanway and Hernandez, respectively.
In the Junior Girl’s division Naomi Perkins of Trafalgar edged Totem teammate Tara Yowek to claim the top prize in the Mount Sentinel race. Taylor Wilson of J.V. Humphries finished third followed by Justyne Goulet of Trafalgar.
At Kaslo, Darya Huser of Salmo topped the division over the Trafalgar trio of Perkins, Allie Zondervan and Yowek.
In the Junior Boy’s race, Conrad Watt of J.V. Humphries edged out Darian Johnson of Trafalgar to win the top prize. Bradley Spurge of Mount Sentinel was third and Everett Hicks of Lucerne fourth.
At Kaslo, Micah May won the first Junior Boy’s race of the season over Watt Braeden Zarikoff of Trafalgar and Jamis Beattie of Salmo.
The tour shifts to Nelson today for a race hosted by the L.V. Rogers Bombers. The final stop of the regular season goes October 13th in New Denver.
The West Kootenay Championships go October 20th in Salmo with the top runners advancing to the East/West Kootenay Finals October 27th at the Camp Busk Cross Country Trails near Apex.
The B.C. High School Cross Country Championships are set for November 6th at Oak Bay in Victoria.
sports@thenelsondaily.com
