It was a “very good day” for Oriole Cross Country at the Altoona Invite Saturday, Sept. 30 at Tower Ridge. With an early morning thunderstorm making the course a bit soggy but not cancelling the event.

“It was a very good day for the Orioles,” Head Coach Nick Mahr said. “Lucas Walker was 0.2 seconds away from winning the boys race. There was heavy rain in the morning that made for a muddy and dangerous course. I was glad we not only got out of there injury free but with some good times as well.”

As to the boys team, they placed third overall with an average time of 21:41.3 and top five times combined 1:48:26.8. Lucas Walker took second with a time of 17:31.9 and average of 5:49 per mile in the 5K, while Breckin Burzynski placed tenth with a time of 18:38.5 and average 6:11 per mile. Zach Haas took 13th with a time of 18:55.5 and average of 6:17 per mile, while Vaughn Schneider placed 41st overall with a time of 23:38.7 and average time of 7:51 per mile. Eli Lilla placed 55th with a time of 29:42.0 and average time of 9:52 per mile.

As to the the girls team there were two runners, not enough to rank the top five but finishing 6th (Lucy Wundrow) and 17th (Addy Mahr) respectively. Wundrow came away with a time of 23:51.1 on the race averaging 7:55 per mile, while Mahr had a time of 25:15.0 with an average time of 8:23 per mile.

With time still left in the season, Coach Mahr looked to the future.

“We have a race in Thorp on Thursday October 5th and then the end of year races of conference and sectionals. We’ll have some tough competition but are running well and want to put up some personal best times in these last few weeks.”