Lakers Place Fifth at Competitive Invitational The Spring Lake boys cross country team turned in a strong performance against a deep field of 18 schools, finishing fifth overall with 132 points. The Lakers showed both top-end talent and depth in what proved to be a fast, competitive race. Senior Lukus Mendoza led the way for Spring Lake, charging to a fifth-place individual finish in 16:30.44. He was followed closely by junior Owen Adams, who crossed the line in 16:39.68 to secure eighth place. Both runners earned top-10 finishes against some of the state’s strongest competition. Junior Ryder Woodwyk added a key scoring performance in 17:31.35, placing 32nd overall. Sophomores Isaac Vandlen (17:43.07) and Dane Trask (17:43.45) ran side by side, finishing just two-tenths of a second apart in 43rd and 44th place. Rounding out the varsity lineup, sophomore Logan Franklyn (18:42.08) and sophomore Liam Tiles (18:48.85) provided valuable depth. Lowell captured the team title with 40 points, followed by Holland West Ottawa (77) and Zeeland West (84). Spring Lake’s balanced scoring pack allowed the Lakers to finish ahead of several strong programs, including Otsego, Buchanan, and Hart. The Lakers will look to build on this momentum as they head into the heart of their fall schedule.