EAST PALESTINE — There’s something special about the first time for the East Palestine girls.

The Bulldogs won an inaugural league cross country meet for the third time in program history by running away with the Eastern Ohio Athletic Conference championship on Tuesday.

With senior Alexis Cunningham winning the individual title, the Bulldogs had five of the top seven finishers to win going away.

The United boys captured their first league title in 14 years by getting past East Palestine, 31-43.

Cunningham had her best time at her home course in her last race at East Palestine City Park, completing the 3.1-mile course in 20 minutes, 18.1 seconds. Southern Local freshman Hannah Logston finished second after spraining an ankle on the same course during the Columbiana County Meet a week earlier.

The East Palestine girls won with 18 points, followed by United with 51.

The Bulldogs also won the first Tri-County League Meet in 1998 and the first Inter-Tri County League Meet in 2006.

They did it convincingly on Tuesday. Freshmen Hope Figley, Faith Figley and Heather Bishop were third, fifth and seventh, respectively, while sophomore Emily Zimmerman finished sixth.

United junior Daniel Frase won the boys meet in a time of 18:12.2, leading the Eagles to the league title. The United boys’ only other league title was in the Tri-County League in 2003 at Columbiana’s Firestone Park.

Also contributing to the Eagles’ victory were junior Joshua Kataro in fourth, senior Kiel Jones in eighth, freshman Landry Hardcastle in 11th and junior Jacob Kataro in 12th.

Meet notes

¯ It was the sixth league title for the East Palestine girls. They won the Tri-County League in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2005 and Inter-Tri County League in 2006.

¯ It was a banner day for the Cunningham family. Besides Alexis winning the girls race and Andrew placing second in the boys race, Hannah won the junior high girls race.

Their aunt, Cathy Cunningham, won inaugural Tri-County League race at the Columbiana County Fairgrounds in Lisbon in 1998.

¯ The East Palestine boys, led by individual champion Weston Jones, and girls won the junior high team titles.

¯ McDonald’s boys won all 11 Inter-Tri County League titles, although a few of the meets were scored in two tiers.

¯ League members Wellsville and Toronto do not field cross country teams.

BOYS RESULTS

STANDINGS: 1. United (31), 2. East Palestine (43), 3. Columbiana (49).

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

1. Daniel Frase (United) 18:12.2; 2. Andrew Cunningham (East Palestine) 18:28.5; 3. Cole Rutledge (East Palestine) 18:53; 4. Joshua Kataro (United) 19:05; 5. Marcus Reed (Southern) 19:48; 6. Nick Krusely (Columbiana) 19:59; 7. Zachary Thorpe (East Palestine) 20:03; 8. Kiel Jones (United) 20:05; 9. Johnathan Cress (Leetonia) 20:06; 10. Jackson Bussard (Columbiana) 20:09.

11. Landry Hardcastle (United) 20:15; 12. Jacob Kataro (United) 20:33; 13. Jacob Mundy (Lisbon) 20:38; 14. Colton Bonam (Southern) 20:38; 15. Andrew Schach (Columbiana) 20:38; 16. Evan Kenneally (Columbiana) 21:10; 17. Noah Silver (Columbiana) 22:48; 18. Samuel Davis (Columbiana) 22:44; 19. Robert Frank (Southern) 22:51; 20. Noah Garvin (East Palestine) 22:59.

21. Cody Voytek (United) 23:04; 22. Matthew Brickner (East Palestine) 23:10; 23. Dominic Fertsch (East Palestine) 23:16; 24. Matthew Davis (Columbiana) 23:24; 25. Aaron Detmer (East Palestine) 23:31; 26. Curtis Ebert (Southern) 23:53; 28. Caleb Long (Columbiana) 24:40; 29. Mathew Hull (Lisbon) 25:56; 30. Patrick Ludt (East Palestine) 26:26.

31. William McIntosh (East Palestine) 27:11; 32. Eric Ji (Columbiana) 27:27; 33. Brendan Detwiler (United) 29:18; 34. Joshua Mohney (East Palestine) 29:43; 35. Luke Salmen (United) 32:39; 36. Konner Thomas (East Palestine) 51:26.

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GIRLS RESULTS

STANDINGS: 1. East Palestine (18), 2. United (51), 3. Lisbon (59).

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

1. Alexis Cunningham (East Palestine) 20:18.1; 2. Hannah Logston (Southern) 21:39; 3. Hope Figley (East Palestine) 21:57; 4. Ellie Marhefka (United) 22:24; 5. Faith Figley (East Palestine) 22:46; 6. Emily Zimmerman (East Palestine) 23:12; 7. Heather Bishop (East Palestine) 24:09; 8. Megan Haught (Southern) 24:53; 9. Megan Chludzinski (Lisbon) 25:37; 10. Elena Rupert (United) 27:06.

11. Abbey Crawford (United) 27:09; 12. Ivy Winters (Southern) 28:19; 13. Mackenzie Sturgeon (Lisbon) 28:25; 14. Reagan Emmerling (Lisbon) 28:57; 15. Alexisa Hughes (East Palestine) 29:35; 16. Sara Cozza (East Palestine) 29:46; 17. Katie Chludzinski (Lisbon) 31:33; 18. Savannah Jones (East Palestine) 33:40; 19. Harley Salmen (United) 34:18; 20. Elizabeth Lipp (East Palestine) 35:19.

21. Kayla Grant (Columbiana) 35:49; 22. Rebekah Silver (Columbiana) 37:42; 23. Cheyenne Taylor (United) 37:59; 24. Katie Haifley (Lisbon) 38:26; 25. Marisa Spooner (Lisbon) 38:32; 26. Danielle Spurio (East Palestine) 42:09.

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JUNIOR HIGH BOYS RESULTS

STANDINGS: 1. East Palestine (20), 2. United (36).

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

1. Weston Jones (East Palestine) 10:00.3; 2. Jonathan Burnell (Columbiana) 10:44; 3. Zack Tribelo (Southern) 10:46; 4. Payton Elliott (East Palestine) 11:06; 5. Dominic Ludt (East Palestine) 11:58; 6. Nathan Marhefka (United) 12:06; 7. Ethan Frase (United) 12:42; 8. George Bosworth (East Palestine) 12:48; 9. Dorian Plecha (Columbiana) 12:52; 10. Kaleb Shinn (United) 12:57.

11. Cooper Figley (East Palestine) 13:03; 12. Joseph Brown (Columbiana) 13:36; 13. Andrew Frase (United) 13:41; 14. Nate Reeder (East Palestine) 13:58; 15. Rowen Brinker (United) 14:16; 16. Owen Board (Southern) 14:21; 17. Case Henderson (Leetonia) 14:33; 18. Noah Riedman (East Palestine) 14:45; 19. Noah Salopek (Columbiana) 14:50; 20. Jack Mercer (United) 16:13; 21. Aiden Dale (Leetonia) 17:01.

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JUNIOR HIGH GIRLS RESULTS

STANDINGS: 1. East Palestine (23), 2. Leetonia 36).

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

1. Hannah Cunningham (East Palestine) 11:30.5; 2. Jade Watt (United) 12:19; 3. Anesa Elsayed (Southern) 13:04; 4. Mariam Figley (East Palestine) 13:08; 5. Madelyn Steiskal (Leetonia) 13:48; 6. Madison Gregory (Leetonia) 13:49; 7. Cady McLaughlin (East Palestine) 14:00; 8. Colby Burton (United) 14:26; 9. Kaylee Colkitt (Leetonai) 14:33; 10. Raquel Canterbury (East Palestine) 15:01.

11. Ronni Mayfield (Southern) 15:16; 12. Alexis Schnelle (East Palestine) 15:32; 13. Destiny Becay (East Palestine) 15:52; 14. Harleigh Bishop (East Palestine) 16:02; 15. Emily Bratt (East Palestine) 16:22; 16. Brooke Brown (Southern) 17:24; 17. Ava Loeffler (Leetonia) 18:33; 18. Grace Davis (Columbiana) 21:12; 19. Hailey Guy (Leetonia) 21:34; 20. Erin Drake (Leetonia) 21:41; 21. Erin Dattilio (Columbiana) 24:04.

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