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BANAT -- It's not very often a runner has an off day and the good fortune of winning a race.
Rock Mid Peninsula Ashdyn Gerow, however, overcame breathing issues here Wednesday and captured the Skyline Central Conference boys' cross country title by covering a challenging 3.1-mile course in 17 minutes, 59.3 seconds on this mostly sunny and windy late afternoon.
"Before the start I felt pretty good," he said. "Then, little after the first hill I couldn't breathe. It's a rough day. This was my first time running in cleats and every now and then one would get me in the shins. It's cross country. You have to expect that. I'll be ready for the next one. I love the course at North Central. I'm excited for the races at North Central and Rapid River."
Munising won with 53 points, followed by Crystal Falls Forest Park 60, Rapid River 63 and Mid Pen 73.
The Munising girls also brought home the championship trophy with 33 points. Superior Central edged Rapid River 60-62 for runner-up honors and fourth-place Forest Park scored 72.
"It was more of a case of survival," Mustangs' coach Bob Wing. "We were missing a few kids and one girl got hurt during the race. I'm more happy for the kids. This has been a long time coming for them. This is a tribute to our depth. One goes down and another steps up. It has been that way all year. What a conference we have with Mid Pen, Rapid River, us and the other schools."
Forest Park junior Hayden Smith was boys' runner-up at 18:49.1 and Munising senior Blake Lakosky placed third (18:59.1).
"I was a little nervous going into it," Lakosky said. "It was just a rough day. The sun felt hot, but you just had to push through it. We have quite a strong team. It has been a few years since we've had this kind of team."
Superior Central freshman Edye Burdett became the girls' champion in 20:28, more than a minute ahead of the field.
"Honestly, I felt super good," she said. "I think my mentality is getting strong. I kept telling myself to push through the hill and got a runner's high after I got up each hill. I was very excited after watching other people run. I told myself I was going to do my best."
Munising freshman Emma Conklin placed second (21:39.2) and Rapid River sophomore Evonna LaCosse was third (21:44.5).
"We had pretty good weather," LaCosse said. "The wind helped us out. I felt good today, better than last week. I had a faster time here than last year. It helped to have some experience."
The Powers North Central Invitational takes place Monday, followed by the Rapid River Invite Wednesday.
Boys
Munising 53, Crystal Falls Forest Park 60, Rapid River 63, Rock Mid Peninsula 73, Stephenson 125, Superior Central 134, Carney-Nadeau 156, Norway NTS.
Top 10 -- 1, Ashdeyn Gerow, Rock Mid Peninsula, 17:59.3; 2, Hayden Smith, Crystal Falls Forest Park, 18:49.1; 3, Blake Lakosky, Munising, 18:59.1; 4, Owen Truitt, Rapid River, 19:20.1; 5, Eli Stiglitz, Rock Mid Peninsula, 19:33.5; 6, Orin Shalom, Munising, 19:33.5; 7, Jon Denkins, Rapid River, 19:43.5; 8, Dietrich Rasner, Crystal Falls Forest Park, 19:45.4; 9, Jason Klyk, Superior Central, 19:51.2; 10, Brody Denkins, Rapid River, 19:58.1.
Girls
Munising 33, Superior Central 60, Rapid River 62, Crystal Falls Forest Park 72. Rock Mid Peninsula, Norway, Stephenson and Powers North Central NTS.
Top 10 -- 1, Edye Burdett, Superior Central, 20:28.2; 2, Emma Conklin, Munising, 21:39.2; 3, Evonna LaCosse, Rapid River, 21:44.5; 4, Ellie Zaupa, Superior Central, 22:43.5; 5, Addie Bowerman, Munising, 22:51.8; 6, Avryl Van Oss, Crystal Falls Forest Park, 23:35.6; 7, Edon Kidd, Munising, 23:40; 8, Kendra Pederson, Superior Central, 23:41.6; 9, Aline Norkoli, Powers North Central, 23:42.1; 10, Erika Tourangeau, Rock Mid Peninsula, 23:42.3.