Baustista fourth for G-E-T at Gale Johnson Kick-Off

Going into a junior season where hopes are high for him, Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau’s Adrian Bautista got things started with a top-five finish in his first meet of the season.

Bautista placed fourth overall with a time of 17 minutes, 14.4 seconds in the boys’ 5,000-meter run at this past Saturday’s Gale Johnson Kick-Off, hosted by Onalaska High School and held at the Maple Grove Venues in West Salem.

Only a trio of West Salem runners crossed the finish line ahead of Bautista: sophomore Evan Berra (16:51.1) in first, senior Carson Gronemus (17:07.2) in second and junior Andrew Lorenz (17:11.3) in third.

The Red Hawk boys were seventh in the team standings, led by Bautista, junior Carson Mayer in 29th, sophomore Connor McDonnell in 37th, junior Ayden Aschenbrener in 40th and junior Cavin Spitzmacher in 47th.

West Salem dominated in the boys’ team competition, taking first with 42 points to finish well ahead of Sparta (96) in second place.

In the girls’ race, sophomore Ruby Johnson posted a 33rd-place finish to lead the way for the Red Hawks, who were ninth as a team. Additionally, G-E-T had junior Isabella Tibbitts in 37th, freshman Kinley Giemza in 52nd, sophomore Charlee McCutchen in 60th and senior Lily Graham in 63rd.

Aquinas sophomore Sanjana Musafir won the race with a time of 20 minutes, 32.6 seconds, leading the Blugolds as they took first in the team standings with 42 points, just ahead of second-place West Salem’s total of 49.

Boys cross country, Gale Johnson Kick-Off, Aug. 30, at Maple Grove Venues, West Salem

West Salem 42, Sparta 96, Boscobel 111, Tomah 140, Onalaska 144, Fennimore 147, G-E-T 151, Aquinas 179, Prairie du Chien 216, Luther 241, River Valley 295, Wisconsin Dells 301

G-E-T — Bautista, fourth, 17:14.4; Mayer, 29th, 18:54.3; McDonnell, 37th, 19:15.6; Aschenbrener, 40th, 19:23.0; Spitzmacher, 47th, 19:43.0; Earney, 60th, 20:26.4; James, 80th, 22:13.7; 

Girls cross country, Gale Johnson Kick-Off, Aug. 30, at Maple Grove Venues, West Salem

Aquinas 42, West Salem 49, Onalaska 87, Wisconsin Dells 153, River Valley 163, Fennimore 165, Sparta 191, Boscobel 205, G-E-T 215, Tomah 222, Prairie du Chien 249

G-E-T — Johnson, 33rd, 24:17.3; Tibbitts, 37th, 24:36.7; Giemza, 52nd, 26:03.7; McCutchen, 60th, 26:35.8; Graham, 63rd, 26:53.3; Breidenbach, 70th, 28:01.5; Rotering, 72nd, 28:07.8