Emma Balazs and Sam Goodrich finished at the front of the pack during a weekend cross-country running race in Vanderhoof.
Balazs, a Grade 10 student at Kelly Road secondary, competed in the junior girls category and posted a time of 16 minutes 24 seconds on a 4.3-kilometre course. In her own group, she beat Katrina McLean of Correlieu (17:47) to the finish line. Balazs was also faster than the senior division champion, Hilary Desmarais of Nechako Valley, who completed the same route in a time of 17:17.
Goodrich, a Grade 12 athlete who was representing College Heights secondary, ran 6.5km in a time of 23:28. Brent Irvine of Smithers (23:40) was 12 seconds off the winning pace.
Other category winners were: elementary girls Kindergarten to Grade 1, Ainslie Mueller; elementary girls Grades 2-3, Paton Mueller; elementary girls Grades 4-5, Robyn Barwise; elementary girls Grades 6-7, Kyra Teetzen; bantam girls, Maddy Doucette; juvenile girls, Cierra Verduzco; elementary boys Kindergarten to Grade 1, Brett Barwise; elementary boys Grades 2-3, Hyatt Verduzco; elementary boys, Grades 4-5, Simon Nemethy; elementary boys Grades 6-7, Jonathan Mueller; bantam boys, Alexander Nemethy; juvenile boys, Jonathon Schultz; and junior boys, Keith Friesen.
In the girls team results, Nechako Valley, College Heights and Kelly Road finished first through third. On the boys side, College Heights came out on top, followed by PGSS and Nechako Valley.
