From the Sept. 11 Edition of The Bridgeport News
By Jeff Toquinto
Editor of The Bridgeport News

Bridgeport's cross country programs got their seasons
under way Saturday at the Autumn Classic held at OSI
Park in St. Marys.
Although the Indians didn't have enough players to
field a team on either the boys or girls side of the
slate, the Tribe did have representatives in both the
boys and the girls divisions. And much like last year,
it was the Indians' Kate Merinar who set the pace for
BHS.
Merinar finished 10th in a field of 75 runners in the
Class AA-A division of the meet. The sophomore
sensation posted a time of 22 minutes and 41.8
seconds. Doddridge County's Clara Grandt, who won the
Bridgeport Benedum Festival 5K's women's division two
years ago, won the event with a time of 21 minutes and
2.3 seconds.
Freshman Jenna Fogg looked good in her initial meet.
She posted at time of 24 minutes and 31.2 seconds to
come in 21st.
Also placing for the girls were junior Kelly Folio
(62nd) with a time of 28 minutes and 59.1 seconds and
fellow junior Rebecca Rakestraw (65th) with a time of
30 minutes and 5.6 seconds.
On the boys' side, only two boys placed in the field
of 81 runners. Junior Ben Booth posted the top time
for the BHS boys with a finishing mark of 20 minutes
and 38.2 seconds for a 54th place finish. Ravenswood's
Andrew Benford, a sophomore, won the AA-A boys meet
with a time of 17:24.3 seconds.
Andrew Seyler, a BHS freshman (77th), finished with a
time of 25 minutes and 40.4 seconds.
Also, the BHS Freedom Run scheduled for Sept. 20 at
Bel Meadow Country Club, has been canceled. The meet
was to have been the only home meet of the year for
Bridgeport.
Coach Julie Hartley could not be reached for comment.