Canella, Kellier Win at Thrill on the Hill

The Chatham-Kent Secondary School cross country team established themselves as one of the elite group of runners in Southwestern Ontario Tuesday at Thrill On The Hill in Windsor.

The meet, hosted at Malden Park in Windsor, annually serves as a test for SWOSSAA runners, welcoming all of the regions top schools and athletes.

This year, two CKSS Golden Hawks runners did something no Kent runner has done in a decade, win their division at Thrill on the Hill. Grade 9 Quinn Canella took home first place in the midget boys division, running his 5km race in an impressive 17:20. There were 77 runners in the midget division.

In Junior Boys, Josh Kellier finished first in a field of 83 runners, running his 6km race in 20:34, beating last year’s OFSAA bronze medallist in the process. Kellier’s Junior boy team finished second overall, with strong races from Cai Kellier (11th), Austin Seed (27th), and Nate Sabourin (32nd).

Grade 9 Rayne Kellier also put together a spectacular race, finishing 2nd in the midget girls division, which featured 86 runners. Her team of Miah St. Pierre, who finished 7th individually, Kate Brady (17th), and Haley Smith (64th) finished 3rd as a group.

Other top local runners included Daniel Grootenboer and Justin McNamara of Chatham Christian, who finished 13th and 21st in the Junior boys division respectively, UCC’s Cole McGregor who was 23rd in midget boys, and Olivia Henry of CKSS, who finished 26th in Junior girls.