Elementary Runners Speed Through LKESAA Meet

Area runners traveled to compete with more than 600 other athletes at the annual Lambton-Kent District School LKESAA cross country meet.

The elementary race welcomes runners from across Chatham-Kent with multiple local runners winning their divisions.

In the girls 13-year-old division, Delainey Johnson of Gregory Drive in Chatham took first overall with a time of 10:36. Wheatley’s Keirra Jackson came in second, finishing roughly 30 seconds behind Johnson. Jackson’s Wheatley team took the team title in the division, which included Jackson, Bailey Brown, Maddie Lavoie, Morgan Brown and Connie Weibe.

A duo of Wallaceburg runners finished first and third in the Girls 12-year-old division. A.A. Wright’s Kaitlyn Isaac won the race in 8:18.6, edging H.W. Burgess runner Megan McCarter who finished only 2 seconds back in third.

In the girls 9-year-old division, Ashlynn Spence of Gregory Drive placed third, as did McNaughton’s Genevieve Sassville who ran in the girls 10-year-old division, and Harwich-Raleigh’s Brenna Oliphant who raced in the girls 11-year-old class.

Harwich-Raleigh’s 9-year-old team of Anna Kistulenic, Rylee Stanford, Faith Stewart, Katelyn Debrouwer and Ariel LaPrise finished second overall as a team.

On the boys side, Micah Van Eyk placed third in the boys 12-year-old division. Van Eyk was representing Indian Creek Road Public School in Chatham. He was the only Chatham-Kent boy to crack the top three runners.

Ridgetown’s Naahi Ridge team comprised of Malcolm Campbell, Collin Krekewich, Anderson Fenton and Daniel Boldt, finished third in the 12-year-old race.