By Cort Reynolds

VAN WERT - Ada sophomore Abbie James finished 12th in the Northwest Conference cross country championship meet at the Van Wert Reservoir Saturday morning.

James covered the 3.1-mile course in 21:46 to post the top Ada girls finish among the 57-runner field.

The Lady Bulldog squad finished fifth at the meet while Columbus Grove won the girls team crown handily over second-place Lincolnview.

Sophomore Reece Evans posted the best Bulldog boys finish, coming in 21st out of 69 runners in a time of 19:13.

Ada only had three boys race, two less than the requisite five to field a team score.

Karter Tow of league champion Lincolnview won the boys race in 16:44. Grove took second behind the Lancers in the boys meet.

Ada boys NWC places, times:

21st Reece Evans 19:13

50th Michael Crouse 21:13

69th Ian Dellifield 27:44

NWC boys team standings

1) Lincolnview 35 points

2) Columbus Grove 49

3) Crestview 76

4) Paulding 99

5) Spencerville 121

6) Bluffton 132

7) Allen East 205

Ada - not enough runners

Ada girls NWC places, times:

12th Abbie James 21:46

32nd Courtney "Coco" McLaughlin 24:46

39th Alexis Ennis 26:19

44th Paige Cole 27:44

46th Nora Dellifield 28:09

52nd Dani Waugh 29:30

NWC girls team standings

1) Columbus Grove 26 points

2) Lincolnview 53

3) Crestview 67

4) Paulding 104

5) Ada 123

Ada runs in the Div. III district meet at Ottawa Saturday, October 21.

Top qualifiers make it to the Div. III regionals in Tiffin Oct. 28.