Lady Hornets Cross Country Team Opens Season With Victory

The Saline High School girls’ cross country team opened its 2011 season by winning the Troy Athens Invitational Thursday.

The Hornets finished with 31 points, just one less than second place Birmingham Seaholm. Troy (94), Troy Athens (113) and Royal Oak (138) rounded out the top 5.

Saline was led by sophomore Elianna Shwayder, who won her first cross country meet, finishing in 19:34. Alyssa Cummings was third, finishing in 19:48. She was followed in by Amy Creutz, who took fourth in 19:58. Kelly Hall (11th, 20:15) and Abby Rentschler (12th, 20:26) rounded out Saline’s scoring five.

“It’s the third consecutive year we have won this event,” said coach Michael Smith. “Placing three in the top four was the difference for us—and the difference in the meet. We ran some very good times for the first meet of the season. It was an excellent start to the season.”

Other notes:

• Hall beat her personal record by nine seconds.

• Saline had three in the top four, five in the top 12 and eight under 21 minutes.

• Six Hornets won medals for placing in the top 15, including Saline's scoring five and Frauhammer.

• Shwayer is the third Hornet to win the event in three years, joining Alex Leptich in 2009 and Alyssa Cummings in 2010.

The girls are in action again Saturday at the South Lyon Invitational.