The Griffith Cross Country teams ran at Riverside Park in Hammond, IN this weekend at the Richard Jay Invitational. Griffith competed against Morton, Whiting, East Chicago, Washington Township, La Lumiere, and Bowman Academy in the boy’s race and the girl’s race also added Morgan Township. The top 20 Runners earned medals and the top 2 teams earned trophies in both respective races. Girls run first in ISHAA races this year, so they kicked off the meet. Emersyn Bland of Morgan Township won the girl’s race with a time of 21:19 followed by 6 other MT runners giving them a perfect score of 15 and the team win in the girl’s division. Griffith followed with a 2^nd place team finish with Katie Plopper (10^th), Nina Zielke (12^th), Bella Zielke (13^th), Lily Wroblewski (21st), Ashley Taylor (22^nd), and Maya Perez (23^rd) with a team score of 69, and taking home a trophy. The boy’s race was won by Joseph LaPatra with a time of 16:58, to match the 1^st place finish of the team. This was followed by Maxwell Archambault(4^th), Jake Zielke (5^th), Tommy Bukowski (6^th), Vincent Pisano (8^th), Brayden Donaldson (13^th), Gabe Goral (16^th), Aiden Nieves (17^th), all medaled in the top 20. This is the first time that either team earned trophies in the many years of running at this invite. ” I’m so proud of both teams. You all performed well and placed the best we ever have at the invite. Bringing home trophies is the best feeling!” Coach Scheidel stated to her team after the race. The Panthers compete next at the Lowell Invite Black Division the weekend after Labor Day at Lowell High School.