Neal Outruns Field at Colonel Crawford Invite; Shelby and Ontario Shine at Tiger Classic

The 2026 high school cross country season in Richland County is underway, with several local athletes posting standout performances during Saturday’s early-season invitationals. At the Colonel Crawford/Kip Kinn Cross Country Invitational, Clear Fork’s Katrina Neal set a high standard by winning the girls division with a time of 18:16.89.

Neal’s individual effort helped propel Clear Fork to a third-place team finish with 127 points. She was supported by teammates Quinn Stover (17th), Raegan Sudol (40th), Caylin Sellers (43rd), and Eliyah Molina (44th). On the boys side, Clear Fork’s Peyton Freitag led the squad with a 20th-place finish, crossing the line in 18:06.27.

At the 2026 Seneca East Tiger Classic, Richland County teams showed strong depth. Shelby’s Anna Will secured a runner-up finish in the girls orange division with a time of 20:11.48, helping the Whippets secure third place in the team standings. Ontario also performed well, taking fifth in the girls division and fourth in the boys division. Ontario’s Liam Hershberger was the top local boys finisher at Seneca East, placing 15th with a time of 17:41.97.

These local developments occur as the broader sports footwear and apparel market continues to evolve. Deckers Outdoor Corporation, a key player in the high-performance activities sector, is currently trading at $87.76. The company, which designs and distributes footwear and gear for sports and outdoor activities, has a market capitalization of approximately $12.18 billion.

What to watch

• Upcoming mid-season meets to see if early times hold up.
• Team score developments as rosters deepen.

Source: original release