Last week the Houghton girls welcomed a few new members to their varsity cross country team.

They were helpful here Monday as the Gremlins earned top honors in the WestPAC Confernence opener — the Calumet Invitational — with 39 points. They were followed by Chassell (56) and Hancock (62).

“We’re very, very pleased,” said Houghton coach Tracy Welch. “Sage (Resch-Chimner) was our third runner today. She’s looking very strong. Sage and Autumn (Eles) were running jayvees and are now nice additions to our varsity team. Autumn also had a nice race.”

Ishpeming took the boys’ title with 31 points, followed by Houghton 50 and Negaunee 109.

“These scores were almost identical to last week (in Thursday’s Hancock Invitational),” said Ishpeming coach P.J. Pruett. “The boys ran good overall. The Houghton kids are good hill runners.”

Houghton sophomore Ingrid Seagren topped the girls in the hilly 3.1-mile girls’ race at the Swedetown Recreation Area in 21 minutes, 14.3 seconds. She was followed by Negaunee senior Talon Prusi (21:30.5), Westwood’s Elizabeth Williams (21:54.8), Houghton sophomore Maria Velat (22:34) and Resch-Chimner (22:41.8).

“This was a confidence boost,” said Seagren, who took the lead after a half-mile on the sunny and warm day. “I was able to push myself harder than I thought I could. She (Prusi) is a real good runner. It’s always good to have somebody to push you. This course is really hilly, although I like to run on the hills. I really felt good today. It was pretty warm, but it wasn’t too bad in the woods. Our team did real well. I’m really proud of them.”

Chassell’s Gwen Kangas placed seventh (22:55.3). Hancock’s Sierrah Driscoll was ninth (22:59.2), followed by Chassell’s Ayla Miller (23:04.8), Hancock’s Maylie Kilpela (23:07.6) and Ewen-Trout Creek’s Elise Besonen (23:19.6).

Negaunee ran without senior Emily Paupore, who was recovering after placing 24th (18:55) in Friday’s Spartan Invitational at East Lansing.

“I wish Emily was here, although she definitely encouraged us to do our best,” Prusi said. “My strategy was to keep in front of the pack and led for about a half-mile. I have a head cold which makes it harder to keep the same pace. This was a very challenging course. We went uphill for the last quarter-mile. The Copper Country has a reputation for not having easy courses. These were very warm conditions, yet it was a little windy to help keep you cool. There was shade throughout the course.”

Gogebic (Bessemer) senior Adam Mazurek took the boys’ title at 17:14.3, followed by Houghton junior Joe Wood (17:28.8) and Ishpeming’s Jonah Broberg (17:34.9), Silas Broberg (17:42.2) and Jordan Longtine (17:49).

“They changed the course from last year,” Mazurek said. “This time we ran the flat first, then ran the rolling hills. I started faster than I usually do. I think I went too fast in the first mile. There’s always some adrenalin. You always think ‘somebody’s going to catch me.’ You can never relax. It was 80 degrees when we were leaving home. I thought it was going to be a hot one, but it cooled down nicely for our race.”

Welch was also happy with the performance by the Houghton boys.

“The boys ran well,” she said. “Ishpeming is just tough. Maria and Branden (Peterson) are sick, but they dug in and did well and Evan Labyak had a real nice race. He (Labyak) just put the pedal to the metal. I’m real pleased with the direction both teams are going.

“Ingrid looked so good. I told her to stride it out on the (last) downhill and she put the hammer down.”

Peterson placed sixth (17:58.1). E-TC’s Nik Thomas took eighth (18:30.2), followed by Ironwood’s David Collins (18:31.6), Chassell’s Kolson Kytta (18:32.3), Houghton’s Jake Sullivan (18:32.4) and Dollar Bay’s Davin Hill (18:48.3).

Ontonagon’s Makennah Uotila won the girls’ jayvee race in 23:32.6 and Watersmeet’s Will Snow took the boys’ race at 19:37.5.

Area teams resume in Thursday’s Dollar Bay Invitational on the Chassell Ski Trails.

Boys

Team standings — Ishpeming 31, Houghton 50, Negaunee 109, Dollar Bay 138, Chassell 149, Ironwood 156, Jeffers 176, Gogebic 187, Westwood 220, Calumet 223, Ewen-Trout Creek, Ontonagon, Hancock, Baraga, Gwinn and Watersmeet NTS.

Top 10 — 1, Adam Mazurek, Gogebic, 17:14.6; 2, Joe Wood, Houghton, 17:28.8; 3, Jonah Broberg, Ishpeming, 17:34.9; 4, Silas Broberg, Ishpeming, 17:42.2; 5, Jordan Longtine, Ishpeming, 17:49; 6, Branden Peterson, Houghton, 17:58.1; 7, Joesph King, Iahpeming, 18:13.8; 8, Nik thomas, Ewen-Trout Creek, 18:30.2; 9, David Collins, Ironwood, 18:31.6; 10, Kolson Kytta, Chassell, 18:32.3.

Girls

Team standings — Houghton 39, Chassell 56, Hancock 62, Westwood 90, Calumet 134, Gogebic 149, Ironwood 171, Negaunee, Ishpeming, Ewen-Trout Creek, Dollar Bay, Ontonagon, Baraga, Gwinn NTS.

Top 10 — 1, Ingrid Seaholm, Houghton, 21:14.3; 2, Talon Prusi, Negaunee, 21:30.5; 3, Elizabeth Williams, Westwood, 21:54.6; 4, Maria Velat, Houghton, 22:34; 5, Sage Resch-Chimner, Houghton, 22:41.8; 6, Taylor Longtine, Ishpeming, 22:53.7; 7, Gwen Kangas, Chassell, 22:55.3; 8, Abby Racine, Ishpeming, 22:56.5; 9, Sierrah Driscoll, Hancock, 22:59.2; 10, Ayla Miller, Chassell, 23:04.8.