BROOKVILLE — Tri-County North runners competed at the Brookville Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 12, with their diminished girls’ cross country team not able to score and their boys’ squad finishing 12th overall.

The girls unit only fielded three runners due to both illness and injury. Lauren Koenig led the Panthers with a time of 24 minutes, 16 seconds.

“She’s finally getting near where she needs to be,” said TCN head coach Tim Martin. “She is capable of more, just needs to hit that extra gear she already possesses.”

The boys finished 12th overall, but were running without team captain and lead runner Aidan Tomlin due to a scheduling conflict with his SAT.

The Panthers scored a combined 305 points and all boy runners lowered their times on the season, said Martin.

Freshman Bailey Hilt lowered his time from a 22:04 to a 20:25, Patrick Timmons lowered to a 21:20, Gregory Ras ran a 21:35, Tristan Singleton ran a 21:46, and Trenton Napier – who is in his first season of cross country – ran a time of 22:00.

Also running for North was Thomas Pudenz – who was fighting injury, another first-timer in Ryan Combs, and Dakota Cox. All three also lowered their times.

“I am happy with their efforts, but also know there is much work to be done to get where we know we can be,” said Martin. “Stay tuned!”

The Panthers will run in the Alliance Meet at the Miami Valley CTC course on Saturday, Sept. 19, before competing in the Preble County meet, at Eaton, on Tuesday, Sept. 22.