WEST BRANCH -- The first Big North Conference jamboree is still about three weeks away, but Traverse City West and Cadillac hooked up in a duel at the Dwayne Rau Memorial Invitational at Ogemaw Heights on Thursday.
The Titans edged Cadillac on a tiebreaker -- determined by the place of the sixth runner -- to win the girls title after each team finished with 42 points.
Traverse City Central captured the boys title.
Cadillac took the top three spots in the girls' race. Kaitlyn Patterson was the overall winner in 19:00.
West, though, used its depth to earn the win. Hannah Rickard finished fourth (21:12), Kaylee VanDommelen seventh (21:55), Marcy Marek ninth (22:03), Paige Richards 10th (22:06), Emmy Carter 12th (22:26), Clancey Hawke 13th (22:31) and Kayle Noble 18th (23:03). Marek was the first freshman to finish while Hawke was the second. Hawke was also the tie-breaking sixth counter.
With three runners in the top 10, Traverse City Central took the boys race with 41 points.
Cadillac was second with 69 while the host Falcons had 77 for third. Elk Rapids took fourth at 85 and Charlevoix fifth with 92 points.
Jim Janisse from Elk Rapids was first in 16 minutes, 56 seconds, followed by Evan Roycraft from Cadillac in 16:59.
Alex Lance was third for the Trojans in 17:11 while teammates James Padden (17:38) was sixth and Reece Karbowski (17:42) was seventh. Also placing for TC Central were Max Johnson (18:08) in 11th and Evan Cover (18:24) in 14th.
Johnson was the fastest freshman on the day, and also set Central's freshman record on the course.
TC Central girls win showdown
Rochester Adams took the top two places, but Traverse City Central was able to put five runners in the top 12 to edge the Highlanders 41-48 in a showdown at the Adams Invitational.
Central finished third in Division 1 a year ago while Adams was fourth.
For Central, Katie Perkins finished third (19:23), Taylor Mattarella sixth (20:01), Julia Otwell ninth (20:18), Marin Bahra 11th (20:24) and Alison Ostema 12th (20:26).
Adams' Cally Macumber, the Division 1 state champ last season, was the overall winner (19:01).
Adding top 20 finishes for the Trojans were Aimee Marsh, 13th (20:27), Jessica Krantz, 18th (20:43).
Traverse City West finished fourth in the boys half of the competition.
Lake Orion won the 11-team event with 21 points, followed by Rochester Adams (56), Brighton (96) and West (112).
The Titans' Erik Wilson finished 13th in the 236-runner field in 17:29, just ahead of teammate Miles Ullenbruch in 17th at 17:41.
SWIMMING
Jenison 184
TC West 114
Traverse City West was handed a 184-114 non-conference loss at Jenison Thursday in its first dual meet of the year.
The Titans had three state qualifying times.
Erin Holstad won the 100-meter breaststroke in 1 minute, 12.08 seconds, while Amy Brunner was second in the 100 butterfly in 1:02.27.
Brunner, Shelby Newhouse, Elly Maleski and Amy Brunner also had a state qualifying time in the 200 medley in 1:55.55 for second place.
VOLLEYBALL
Trojans take Silver Division
Traverse City Central beat Hart 25-12, 25-15 to win the Silver Division in the 16-team Cadillac Invitational.
The Trojans (10-2) started slowly a night after beating cross-town rival Traverse City West.
The Trojans lost to Bay City Western (25-13, 25-22) and Calumet (25-13, 22-25, 15-11) before turning it around. They beat Forest Area (25-22, 25-13) to end pool play. Then, in the Silver Division bracket, Central downed Birch Run (25-15, 25-19) in the quarterfinals, Lake City (25-14, 25-12) in the semifinals and Hart in the finals.
Central was paced by Carley Beers (108 assists), Meredith Aja (39 digs, 30 kills, 12 aces, eight blocks), and Laura Spencer (18 blocks, 50 kills, 22 digs).
Forest Area reached the semifinals of the Silver Division, but came up short against Hart (25-19, 18-25, 15-12).
The Warriors lost to Calumet (25-12, 25-23), Bay City Western (25-8, 25-21) and Central (25-22, 25-12) in pool play before beating McBain (25-19, 16-25, 15-13) in the first round of bracket play.
Kassie McGee had 18 kills and 27 digs, Chelsea Strine added 29 digs, Maize Johnson had 17 kills and Allie Garrett notched 68 assists.
Glen Lake fell to Cadillac (25-14, 25-8), Freeland (25-22, 25-13) and Hart (25-15, 25-13) in pool play. The Lakers then lost to Lake City (25-20, 25-16) in bracket play.
Glen Lake was led by Krissy Bush (nine kills, 10 digs, 17 of 18 serving), Casey Hawkins (six kills, three digs, 28 assists).
GOLF
TC Central struggles at Fremont invite
Traverse City Central traveled to the Fremont invitational Thursday and finished 14th out of 19 teams.
Mona Shores won with 342 while the Trojans shot 449.
Taylor Schultz shot 89 for TC Central, Natalie Tubbs had 114, Nicole Gunn shot 121 and Kelly White had 125.
Elk Rapids' Kara Newhouse competed at the event and was seventh as an individual with 84.
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