XC: Saline Boys Capture 2nd at the SEC Red Championship

Saline couldn't pull off the upset they hoped for, but the Hornets put in a solid race and took second.

Saline finished with 59 points at Hudson Mills Metro Park. The heavily favored team from Pioneer won with 32 points. Skyline was third with 71.

"It was a solid performance, which we've been looking for for a long time," Saline Cross Country Coach Carl Spina said. "We've had individual performances. Today, from our number one Jake Szalay all the way to Jack Klein, finding his way back in the lineup, it was a great performance from all seven boys."

Szalay planned to run with Pioneer's number two runner, but Kamari Ronfeldt and Beckett Crooks  ran together the entire race. Instead, Szalay ran mostly by himself and emerged in front of a small pack to take third overall in 15:59.1.

"I just kind of rolled with the punches. You need to be able to just adapt," Szalay said.

Spina was happy with Szalay's race.

"Jake is awesome. He's in a really hard spot where he's got two super-fast kids ahead of him and then he's being chased by the rest of the field," Spina said. "He manages it well. He gets out like he should. He's not getting lost in traffic. He's doing the early part of the race well. He's managing the pressure of being a high-level athlete on a high-level team. He's doing everything right, righ now."

Wes Rogan (16:16.7) was sixth and Brennan LaRusso  (16:19.8) was seventh. They ran most of the race together.

Rogan fought through the race.

"I did not feel good at all. Me and Brennan worked together. We weren't feeling the best today," Rogan said. "It's what kept me in the race. Having him next to me just pushed me along."

LaRusso said he hoped to do a bit better, but he likes how things are shaping up for the Hornets.

"We're coming together as a team and we're looking good for the future," LaRusso said.

Spina said it was good to see Rogan and LaRusso push each other to a strong finish.

"Those are two of the guys who've struggled to be ready to go on the same day. Today you see them running side-by-side the entire race. It's awesome to see. It's where they belong. They are good friends and training partners," Spina said. "To compete for 16 minutes together, that's what athletes and teamates want to do."

Jacob Cole was 18th in 16:50.

The threesome of Carter Mitton (25th, 17:16.1), Gavin Bast (26th, 17:18.8) and Jack Klein (27th, 17:23.6) also ran for the Hornets.

Spina said he liked the way Klein gutted it out, coming back from an injury. He rolled his ankle early in the year and then sprained it at Jackson.

"It looked like it would be the end of the season for him, but he's got a certain level of talent and he's done the work throughout the summer and he's just forced his way back into the top seven," Spina said. "He had this really weird opportunity that opened up today and he made the most of it."'

In the reserve race, Ryan Rummel was second in 17:26.1. Freshman Will Sollenberger was 18th in 18:14.2.

More News from Saline

• Light Agenda for Monday City Council Meeting Saline City Council meets at 7 p.m., Monday, at Saline City Hall, 100 N. Harris St.
• What to do in Saline - Tuesday, Nov 18 - Monday, Nov 24 Check out our community calendar to find out what's happening this week.