The Jackson Cross Country Invitational is always a big event that signals the midway point of the season and prepares teams for the home stretch of the season and both Dexter XC teams had strong showings at the race.

Jackson features several top-ten teams in the state and the competition is fierce.

The girls finished ninth out of 29 teams and the boys finished 12th out of 29.

Dexter finished with 301 points in the girl’s race dominated by Romeo with 57.

Alena Blumberg medaled for the Dreads with a 19th-place finish in 18:53.7 to lead Dexter.

Annabel O’Haver placed 39th in 19:29.4 and Addison Bruckman was 62nd in 19:56.5. Hannah Bougher came home 91st
in 20:38.5, Kate Varitek 106th in 20:55.5, Olivia Schaieb 126th
in 21:22.8, Amelia Cribbins 130th in 21:27, Ella Mitchell 132nd
in 21:28.4, and Avery Hoeft 170th in 22:08.2.

The boys finished with 309 points in the meet won by AA Pioneer with 138.

Brandon Anderson set a new PR and finished fifth overall with a time of 15:26.5 for the Dreads.

Eight of the ten Dexter runners set PR’s with the scorching pace at Jackson.

Caleb Snyder just missed a medal spot with a 33rd-place finish in 16:24.1 and Julian Linebaugh was 58th in 16:45.4.

Andrew Gafford was 108th in 17:16.1 and Cole Doty 115th in 17:21.9 to round out the top five for Dexter.

Sam Gibson was 116th in 17:23.2, Elijah Smith 121st
in 17:28.4, Charlie Munson 135th in 17:39.2, Jack McCalla 139th
in 17:45.1, and Scott Smith 179th in 18:17.8.