On Saturday, September 20th, 2025, Northview Church became the venue for a thrilling cross country
meet - the Flashrock Invitational - hosted by Westfield. The meet boasts a well-maintained course,
multiple competitive race divisions, and an entertaining atmosphere. Delta Cross Country emerged with
impressive results, demonstrating strong individual performances and significant team improvements
across both the boys and girls competitions.
The boys team delivered a stellar performance - tying with Norwell for first place - and ultimately
finishing 2nd out of 19 competing teams. Delta runners not only achieved notable placements but also
made substantial time improvements. Junior Peyton Engle led the charge by finishing 4th overall
among 162 runners, earning one of the top five scoring spots for the team. He was closely followed by
his teammates Nolan Hutchison and Carter Friend, who captured 8th and 11th places, respectively.
Seniors Cameron Deckman and Noah Parrott rounded out the top five with 16th and 25th place
finishes.
In addition to strong placements, individual time improvements added to the excitement. Hutchison
recorded a personal best time of 17:11.88—a one second drop—while freshman Gideon Sherck
improved his best with a new time of 19:43.83, trimming six seconds off his previous mark. Deckman
also marked a season-best time of 17:39.40, just one second shy of his personal record. These efforts
helped Delta tie for first overall in the boys' category this year, propelling the team into the elite
"Championship" Division for next season and marking an upward movement of eight places from last
year's standings.
Despite climbing temperatures, the girls team also showcased determination by finishing 7th out of 13
scoring teams. Sophomore Everly Carter emerged as the top performer among the girls, earning a 15th
place finish out of 111 runners and grabbing the highest scoring spot for Delta in the girls' field.
Freshman Gabby Gruwell, sophomore Ella Ewing, freshman Chloe Childers, and sophomore Katelynn
Preston completed the top five placements, finishing 25th, 44th, 59th, and 80th, respectively.
Chloe Childers notably clocked a personal best time of 25:29.78, with a significant improvement of 15
seconds. Although the girls team moved up just one place compared to last year, their continuous
progress and individual milestones promise a bright future ahead.
The Flashrock Invitational proved to be a memorable day of competition, where Delta Cross Country's
strategic strides and personal best achievements underscored their dedication and growth. With the
boys team's impressive leap into the Championship Division and the steady progress of the girls team,
both squads are poised for an even stronger showing in the seasons to come.
As the excitement from the meet continues to rally the team, Delta Cross Country is already setting its
sights on next week's Conference competition, ready to build on this success with renewed
determination and teamwork.