Portland Raiders and Portland St. Patrick Cross Country Runners Compete at Annual Saranac Invitation

It was a great night to run…cool and dry…and the Raider and Shamrock Cross Country teams of Portland gave it their best effort on Wednesday afternoon in Saranac. 700 Hundred High School Runners from West Michigan, representing 25 area High Schools, filled the tiny Saranac Schools athletic field to overflowing.

Portland Jr. Carter Rosier led the Raider Boys XC team with a time of 19 minutes, 55 seconds on the 5K course. He placed 81st overall out of 210 runners. While Portland Freshman, Valarie Hoppes one again paced the Raider girls. She placed 35th, out of 220 girls, with a time of 22:37 and is quickly establishing herself as a force to be dealt with in her first year on the Varsity Cross Country team.

Grandville won the Boys Division 1 & 2 Race while Forest Hills Eastern won the Girls Division 1 & 2 Race. East Lansing’s Andrew Lane won the Boy’s Race with a time of 15:27. Abbie Draheim, also from East Lansing won the Girl’s Race with 19:04.

St. Patrick Shamrocks only had four girls participate (five are required to earn a team score). While, Martin White is the only St. Patrick boy participating in Cross Country. However, they all participate as individuals, and as the picture above indicates they do so with a remarkably positive attitude and spirit.

The Raiders next meet is on Weds. Sept. 4th, in St. John’s at the Marauder Invitational. St. Patrick’s next meet is on Saturday, Sept. 7th, at the Bret Clements Bath Invitational.