NAPPANEE – It finally started to feel a little more like August on Tuesday, the humidity starting to creep over the spoiled northern Indiana landscape. The already heavy preseason lungs showed some extra wheezing in the cross country quad, the vaunted Hill taking its toll on runners in the season opener for host NorthWood and its three bordering neighbors.

NorthWood looked the fittest side in the girls race, bringing home five of the top eight runners in three wins, 21-39 over Bremen, 19-44 over Fairfield and 15-47 over Wawasee. Bremen picked up two wins, beating Fairfield 20-43 and Wawasee 21-40 while Wawasee salvaged a 23-37 win on Fairfield.

The Wawasee boys were superior, running nearly flawless in a 16-43 win over NorthWood, 18-33 win over Fairfield and 15-48 sweep of Bremen. NorthWood took two wins, 23-38 on Fairfield and 20-41 on Bremen, while the Lions edged the Falcons 26-33.

The NorthWood girls were led in no surprise by Erica Stutsman, who ran with Fairfield’s Carole Haldman at the front from the opening gun to the finish line. Stutsman didn’t let Haldman get any leverage and crushed the final 500 meters to win at 21:14, Haldman taking a respectable second at 21:19. Bremen’s Emma Hundt was third at 22:23 then it was a pride of Panthers with Kate Jarvis fourth (22:37), Whitney Wolfe fifth (22:44) and Jennifer Martinez seventh (23:04).

Wawasee, resting several of its projected starters going forward, had Kenzie Smith lead its pace with a 23:53, having to rally on the second leg of the course to make up places on a middle pack of NorthWood and Bremen runners. Caitlin Wortinger was next (11, 24:11), then dropping all the way to 24th with Lila Gregory (26:12), Autumn Turner (26, 26:37) and Valeria Pizana (27, 22:27).

On the other hand from Wawasee, its studs ran Tuesday and saw its top five all place in the top seven. Spencer Hare and Luke Griner were elite in the field, exchanging leads throughout the contest. Hare would pull ahead of Griner in the final run of the Hill, sprinting from the chute at 17:26 for the win, Griner second at 17:30. Braxton Alexander (18:27) and Michael Hammer (18:32) were fourth and fifth, and Bennett Hoffert was seventh (18:58). Only Fairfield’s Colten Cripe in third (17:41) and NorthWood’s Tyler Evers (6, 18:44) broke up the Wawasee huddle in the front.

The Panthers had Stephen Schmitt (8, 19:09), Arron Smith (12, 19:33), Garrett Myers (14, 19:39) and Austin Escamilla (16, 20:05) make up the scoring spots.

Bremen’s boys were led by Logan Fish, who was 11th at 19:29.

NorthWood XC will run Saturday in the Hokum Karem event hosted by Elkhart Christian and Wawasee will regroup in preparation to return to Stauffer Park on Aug. 26 for the NorthWood Invite.