The Oswego cross country program made a massive statement on Tuesday, Sept. 29, leaving the Columbus Invitational loaded with medals, high-ranking team finishes, and a remarkable 14 season-best marks across junior high, junior varsity, and varsity races.
Out of 19 competing runners, nearly three-quarters of the entire Oswego roster logged their fastest times of the fall, proving the team is peaking right as the championship stretch approaches.
Varsity Squad Grabs Three Top-15 Finishes
Leading the way in high school varsity action, Jade Hiben paced the girls’ division with an outstanding performance, surging across the line to take third place overall. Teammate Chloe Rhodenbaugh delivered an equally gritty run, securing 11th place to give Oswego two top-15 medalists in the girls’ varsity field.
On the boys’ side, Kaden Esposito represented the Indians as the lone varsity runner. Battling solo against deep competition, Esposito clocked a hard-fought 12th-place finish to earn his spot on the varsity medal stand.
Clifton, Volmer Lead Dominant Junior High & JV Charge
Oswego’s future looks just as bright, with the middle school and JV squads turning in standout showings throughout the afternoon:
- 8th Grade Girls: Paris Clifton paced the division with an aggressive run, crossing the line in second place for a silver-medal finish. Brooklynn Hiben ran her sharpest race of the season to take seventh, while Karma Cunningham added another season-best time to finish 22nd.
- 7th Grade Boys: Leyton Volmer powered his way onto the podium with a stellar third-place run. Benjamyn Hiben followed closely in 15th with a season-best performance, and Jaden Perona rounded out the group in 23rd with his fastest time of the year.
- 7th Grade Girls: The squad captured third place in the team standings behind a pack-running effort. Abby Holler set the tone in 16th place with a season-best time of 18:09.4. Backing up the podium finish were Annie Reynolds (23rd), Journey Murphy (24th), Faith Reynolds (25th), Brayleigh Blake (30th), Emma Wells (34th), and Willow Baty (35th).
- HS Girls JV: Shaylee Morrison and Echo Morrison both clocked season-low marks, placing 11th and 17th, respectively.
- 8th Grade Boys: Ivan Wells served as Oswego’s solo entry, crushing a new season-best mark on his way to 34th place.
Quick-Glance Meet Results
| Runner | Division | Place | Result Note |
| Paris Clifton | 8th Grade Girls | 2nd | JH Medalist (Top 10) / Season Best |
| Jade Hiben | HS Girls Varsity | 3rd | Varsity Medalist (Top 15) |
| Leyton Volmer | 7th Grade Boys | 3rd | JH Medalist (Top 10) |
| Brooklynn Hiben | 8th Grade Girls | 7th | JH Medalist (Top 10) / Season Best |
| Chloe Rhodenbaugh | HS Girls Varsity | 11th | Varsity Medalist (Top 15) |
| Kaden Esposito | HS Boys Varsity | 12th | Varsity Medalist (Top 15) |
| Shaylee Morrison | HS Girls JV | 11th | Season Best |
| Benjamyn Hiben | 7th Grade Boys | 15th | Season Best |
| Abby Holler | 7th Grade Girls | 16th | 18:09.4 / Season Best |
| Echo Morrison | HS Girls JV | 17th | Season Best |
| Karma Cunningham | 8th Grade Girls | 22nd | Season Best |
| Jaden Perona | 7th Grade Boys | 23rd | Season Best |
| Annie Reynolds | 7th Grade Girls | 23rd | Season Best |
| Journey Murphy | 7th Grade Girls | 24th | Season Best |
| Faith Reynolds | 7th Grade Girls | 25th | Season Best |
| Brayleigh Blake | 7th Grade Girls | 30th | Season Best |
| Ivan Wells | 8th Grade Boys | 34th | Season Best |
| Willow Baty | 7th Grade Girls | 35th | Season Best |
Coach’s Corner: Hard Work Fueling Momentum
“I am extremely proud of how hard all of our runners competed today,” the coaching staff noted following the meet. “We saw excellent effort across the board, as evidenced by so many season-best times. We are still improving, and that is exciting to see. I truly believe that with continued hard work, we will keep improving and building our confidence.”
The program also credited the Oswego faithful for packing the course and fueling the runners down the final chute.
“Once again, our amazing parents showed up and showed out! They continue to provide incredible support for our team and runners. I am grateful for everything they do to elevate our program and make my job easier—we truly cannot thank them enough!”
