WESTPHALIA

Over 150 local athletes braved the heat on Independence Day to compete in the St. Mary’s Parish Festival 5k and 5-mile runs, and the winners of the two races are familiar names to local running fans.

Brice Brown, a senior at Ionia High School who helped the Bulldog cross country team to a third-place finish at last year’s Division 2 state finals, won the 5-kilometer race, and Donald Richmond, who won last January’s Portland Winter Run, outraced the field in the 5-mile.

Brown was the only runner in a field of 108 to break the 17-minute mark in the 5k, posting a winning time of 16:59.87 over the 3.1-mile course. Spencer Pioszak finished second overall in a time of 17:37.61 and Greg Trierweiler placed third in 17:52.83.

Sharon Becker won the women’s 5k, finishing 14th overall in a time of 20:52.28, finishing over a minute and a half ahead of the field. Victoria Perez was the second female runner across the finish line in 22:29.55 and Janay Bengal finished third in 22:47.22.

Richmond dominated the 5-mile race, finishing 2:47 sooner than any other participant, in 28:00.25. Jim Thompson, the overall Masters Champion, finished second in 30:47.25 and Darron Birchmeier placed third, in 33:47.63.

Amy Miller won the women’s 5-mile, finishing fourth overall out of 50 entrants, with a time of 34:42.22. Julia Contreras finshed second in 37:07.24 and Erin Leplander placed third in 38:01.98.

The age-group winners are as follows:

5k division winners

Boys 14-under: Gage Cleveland, 20:44.98

Girls 14-under: Alyssa Huhn, 26:59.42

Boys 15-19: Greg Trierweiler, 17:52.83

Girls 15-19: Victoria Perez, 22:29.55

Men 20-24: Spencer Pioszak, 17:37.61

Women 20-24: Anna Krausz, 23:01.10

Men 25-29: Jeremy Doody, 17:54.06

Women 25-29: Janay Bengal, 22:47.22

Men 30-34: Ben Spitzley, 22:05.41

Women 30-34: Lori Maurer, 23:54.21

Men 35-39: Phillip Smith, 19:46.94

Women 35-39: Beth Holben, 25:48.22

Male Masters: Trent Schafer, 19:22.67

Female Masters: Susan Blemaster, 23:24.08

Men 40-44: Mark Meredith, 26:25.09

Women 40-44: Janice Schafer, 28:53.10

Men 45-49: Don English, 26:33.04

Women 45-49: Doreen Schneider, 30:06.34

Men 50-54: Daniel Gibson, 20:43.28

Women 50-54: Dawn Gawel, 36:09.60

Male Grand Masters: David Stierley, 25:50.53

Female Grand Masters: Kathleen Simon, 29:54.20

Men 55-59: David Fedewa, 26:56.74

Women 55-59: Bev Travis, 30:32.24

Men 60-64: Larry McCaskey, 27:09.25

Women 60-64: Karen Irrer, 34:13.68

Men 65-69: Bob Brooks, 28:07.06

Women 70-over: Rit Schafer, 31:57.44

5-mile division winners

Boys 14-under: Nick Martin, 44:40.78

Women 20-24: Julia Contreras, 37:07.24

Men 25-29: Samual Miller, 34:42.47

Women 25-29: Stefani Strange, 40:47.49

Men 30-34: Darron Birchmeier, 33:47.63

Women 30-34: Lisa Werner, 40:13.56

Women 35-39: Genny Bengel, 44:16.25

Male Masters: Jim Thompson, 30:47.25

Female Masters: Jane Bauer, 47:33.58

Men 40-44: John Schafer, 38:53.33

Women 40-44: Dawn Clark, 48:29.41

Men 45-49: Steve Peabody, 35:10.24

Women 45-49: Camie Kesler, 1:00:52.61

Men 50-54: Robert Thelen, 34:48.80

Women 50-54: Susan Thome, 48:26.29

Male Grand Masters: Roy Brown, 38:02.91

Female Grand Masters: Marge Novak, 56:46.55

Men 55-59: Jack Griffin, 39:30.51

Men 60-64: Tom Webb, 44:09.25

Men 70-over: Francis Leik, 53:00.02