MANISTIQUE — Tight races were the rule here Sept. 7 as both individual winners prevailed by just a few steps in the Manistique Invitational cross country meet.

Gladstone senior Drew Hughes retained his title by covering the 3.1-mile course in 17 minutes, 53.54 seconds, edging Sault Ste. Marie senior Cody Aldridge by 1.4 seconds on this warm and humid day at the Schoolcraft County Fairgrounds.

Sault freshman Gabe Litzner placed third at 18:10.39, followed by Gladstone sophomore Aaron Hughes (19:16.07) and junior Tanner Howes (19:28.94).

“It was challenging out there,” said Hughes. “The weather was a factor, but I felt good throughout the race. I kind of ran with Cody and Gabe and tried to keep a good pace. It was a nice, hard workout.”

Munising senior Monique Brisson edged Sault junior Cassandra Gallagher by a step for her first varsity title.

“I’m really happy about it,” said Brisson, who was clocked at 21:57.3. “I’m kind of stunned. I wasn’t really expecting it. It was a race. She’s really good.”

The Munising girls were crowned champions with 65 points, and Superior Central squeezed past Sault 81-82 for runner-up honors.

Sault boys won with 38 points, followed by Gladstone 69 and Escanaba 77

In the girls’ race, Gallagher was followed by Manistique freshman Mya Carlson (23:38.7), defending champion and Menominee senior Attica Brandt (23:53.9), Munising’s Hattie Cota (23:57.2) and Escanaba junior Annabelle Neumeier (23:59.7).

“I wanted to try to go a little easy in the first mile, then go hard the next two,” said Gallagher. “It was fun, but it was really hot in the sand. I prefer cooler conditions.”

Freshman Kiera McDonnald was Superior Central’s leader in 11th (25:03.4), and sophomore Lauren Sundquist paced Gladstone in 15th (26:11).

Holy Name sophomore Joe Carlson placed sixth among the boys, followed by Esky senior Dan Smith (20:03.48) and Manistique senior Grant Mason (20:08.17).

“It was hot, especially in the sand hills,” said Carlson. “My feet sank in the sand. It was very soft. Peter (Chouinard) ran for the first time, which was exciting.”

Boys

Sault Ste. Marie 38, Gladstone 69, Escanaba 77, Stephenson 120, Manistique 127, Engadine and Menominee 167, Superior Central 168, Munising 197. Holy Name, Mackinaw City, North Central, Rapid River, Mid Peninsula and St. Ignace NTS.

Top 10 — 1, Drew Hughes, Gladstone, 17:53.54; 2, Cody Aldrich, Sault Ste. Marie, 17:54.94; 3, Gabe Litzner, Sault Ste. Marie, 18:10.39; 4, Aaron Hughes, Gladstone, 19:16.07; 5, Tanner Howes, Gladstone, 19:28.94; 6, Joe Carlson, Holy Name, 19:47.07; 7, Dan Smith, Escanaba, 20:03.48; 8, Grant Mason, Manistique, 20:08.17; 9, Griffin Brown, Stephenson, 20:09.89; 10, Logan Haskins, Sault Ste. Marie, 20:11.1.

Girls

Munising 65, Superior Central 81, Sault Ste. Marie 82, Stephenson 101, Escanaba 117, Engadine 123. Mackinaw City, Gladstone, Manistique, Forest Park, Rapid River, North Central and St. Ignace NTS.

Top 10 — 1, Monique Brisson, Munising, 21:57.31; 2, Cassandra Gallagher, Sault Ste. Marie, 21:57.78; 3, Mya Carlson, Manistique, 23:38.72; 4, Attica Brandt, Menominee, 23:53.95; 5, Hattie Cota, Munising, 23:57.21; 6, Annabelle Neumeier, Escanaba, 23:59.69; 7, Olivia Cotey, Munising, 24:10.15; 8, Leah French, Engadine, 24:31.83; 9, Larissa Huffman, Mackinaw City, 24:33.71; 10, Kayela Putnam, Stephenson, 24:53.65.