Julia Babicz helped pace the College Heights Cougars to a second-overall showing in the senior girls' team event at the north central zone high school cross-country running championships Saturday in Vanderhoof.
Individually, Babicz was the top female P.G. runner in a 4.3-kilometre race, clocking 17 minutes 42 seconds to finish fourth overall out of 39 athletes.
The five-member Cougars team also included Alessandra Schmid, who was 11th overall (18:33), Sheridan MacArthur, who was 20th (19:36), Ariel Gilbert, who finished 22nd (19:37) and Kaitlyn Joyce, who placed 25th (20:01).
The team accumulated 52 points. Host Nechako Valley secondary was the top girls team, winning its sixth consecutive zone championship with 30 points. Dawson Creek was third overall with 62 points.
Olivia Baptiste from Correlieu secondary in Quesnel won the girls' race, clocking 16:24. Her teammate Kyra Teetzen followed in second place (17:18). Danika Robson from Lake City secondary in Williams Lake finished third (17:32).
On the boys side, Isaac Goodrich led the College Heights Cougars pack in the senior 6.5km distance, clocking 23:06 to win the individual bronze medal out of 36 runners. He now advances to the B.C. championships on Nov. 1 in Victoria.
Thomas Cosh was 22nd overall in the senior boys' event with a time of 27:28.
Braden Croin was fourth overall in the junior boys' 4.3km event.
Individually, Nechako Valley's Alexander Nemethy, who trains with the Prince George Track and Field Club, won his third straight senior boys zone title in a time of 21:52. He too moves on to the B.C. championships.
