Photos by Marcia Street
The Newton Eagles cross country teams turned in strong performances at the Cumberland Invitational, with the girls earning runner-up honors and the boys placing ninth in a competitive field on Saturday.
The Lady Eagles were outstanding, finishing second overall with a team score of 59 and a total time of 1:44:33.44, averaging 20:54 per runner. Senior Layna Marshall once again led the pack for Newton, racing to a 5th-place overall finish in 19:35.76. Freshman Heather Bergbower followed closely in 6th (20:07.34), marking another impressive finish for the young standout.
Sophomore Avery Geier clocked 21:05.28 to take 11th, while freshmen Nora Street (21:44.98) and Josie Vogt (22:00.08) sealed Newton’s second-place team finish with consistent runs. Also competing for the Eagles were Kimberly Bierman (22:43.18), Shay Bennett (23:01.69), Lily Yager (24:58.10), and Alivia Bierman (25:28.55), rounding out a deep and determined girls’ lineup.
On the boys’ side, Newton earned a 9th-place team finish with a score of 221 and a total time of 1:31:16.51. Senior Hayden Borgic led the charge with a 26th-place finish (17:22.36), followed closely by fellow senior Tanner Whitaker, who was just behind in 27th (17:23.88). Senior Johnnie Brant crossed in 41st (17:54.31), while Alec Bower (18:51.59) and freshman Kendall Probst (19:44.37) rounded out Newton’s top five.
Both teams continue to show strong progression as they move deeper into the season. With a mix of senior leadership and emerging underclassman talent, the Eagles are shaping up to be formidable contenders as postseason competition nears.
