On the weekend, 568 high school athletes gathered at Echo Valley Provincial Park near Regina for the 2012 Saskatchewan High Schools Athletic Association's provincial cross-country meet.
The Northwest was well represented in the junior, midget and senior divisions on both the male and female sides of the starting line.
North Battleford Comprehensive High School's Mikaela York was the top runner from the area on the weekend. She finished 13th in senior provincials last year and this year she bettered her finish, as she ran the 4000m race in 15:37 and earned fifth place.
Taisley Isaac of NBCHS also ran in the senior girls' race and finished in 58th with a time of 19:10.
Turtleford's Kayla Hartley, running out of the North West District, was 79th with a time of 20:06.
Leoville's Renes Judge was 81st in the senior girls' race and was 20 seconds back of Kayla.
Glaslyn's Jacqueline Towes was 85th with a time of 20:51.
Joelle Hemmenigarn of St. Walburg was 87th and finished in 21:03.
Lashburn's Taylor Johnson was 102nd and Jacqueline Kern was 104th.
Kendra Littlebear of Cando was 107th.
NBCHS's Brendan Grosjean placed 32nd after running the 6000m senior boys' race in 24:25. Jason Reimer, also of NBCHS, was 47th with a time of 25:19.
Tyson Pahsaknunk of Cando was 42nd with a time of 25:04.
Paradise Hill's Tyson Menard was 60th finishing in at 26:51.
St. Walburg's Jeff Toews was 64th, just six seconds back of Tyson.
With a time of 27:18 Cut Knife's Jonah Labossiere finished 72nd.
Louie Checkosis was the lone representative from Chief Poundmaker High School and he finished 84th with a 29:32 time.
Kyla VanDeMeutter of Unity, who was one of the fastest runners at the Battle West District meet, finished 18th in the junior girls division. Her close rival and competition from McLurg High School Jess Karstens finished right behind VanDeMeutter. VanDeMeutter finished in 18:08 while Karstens finished 19th and four seconds back.
Also from the Battle West District was Spiritwood's Emily Fusnik. She finished in 18:14 and in 21st.
Lashburn's Hollie-May Jones represented the North West District and she was 34th with a time of 19:04. Sydney Napper also represented Lashburn and finished in 26:21.
Brey Schlekewy of St. Walburg was 46th with a time of 20:28. Her schoolmates Naomi Gordon and Nikki Bulmer finished 58th and 60th respectively coming it at 21:27 and 21:39.
The top time in the junior girls' race was 14:48 from Regina runner Sarah Slusar.
Borden's Duncan Sutherland was the top runner from the area in the junior boys' 5000m race. He was 26th in his division. Duncan finished in 19:44, close to three minutes behind the leader. Also from Borden was Eric Westad, who ran 20:54 and was 49th and Anthony Judkins who placed 73rd.
Turtleford's Tristin McDonald was five seconds back of Duncan and finished in 28th place. The other Turtleford runner in the junior race was Cordell Thunderchild and he finished in 69th.
Noah Zanyk of John Paul II ran the junior race in 20:51 and finished in 46th place.
In 65th place was Wayland Purdy of Spiritwood.
Cut Knife's Brayden Antdine was 67th and finished in 21:48.
Cando's Bryton Wahobin finished the race in 26:24.
Kale Moth of Neilburg finished the midget boys' race in 15:14 and was 14th. The North West District runner competed with 98 other runners in the 4000m run.
Paradise Hill's Michael Colliou was 33rd, as he crossed the finish line in 15:57.
David Edwards of Medstead finished in 36th with a time of 16:07.
Turtleford's Andy Kim was 84th with a time of 18:48, Jordan Rhode was 87th crossing the line at 19:16 and Kyle Thom was 93rd finishing the race in 20:46.
Walker Grassl represented Lashburn and finished 90th.
Lux Benson Jr. of Cando was 97th.
Borden's Emma Pidwerbesky was 22nd in the midget girls' division finishing 1:42 behind the leader with a time of 13:27. Brooklyn Gader, also of Borden was 36th with a mark of 13:52.
In 55th place was John Paul II Collegiate's Katelyn Petersen with a time of 14:26. Kaylee Doke also of John Paul II was 95th.
In 94th was Unity's Dakota Mahaney with a time of 16:42.
