HAMILTON COUNTY — Cross country runners from around the state took part in Hamilton Southeastern’s Hokum Karem on Saturday, Aug. 18.

The first big meet of the season was a good one for the Pendleton Heights High School boys team, which finished in first place.

Runners from Pendleton Heights, Hamilton Southeastern, Greenfield-Central, Lawrence North and Franklin Central participated.

In a Hokum Karem, pairs of runners compete; runners alternate running laps of a 1-mile course with their partner for a total of six laps.

The winning pair at the meet were Luke Upton and Milan Jones from Pendleton Heights; they finished with a time of 30:35.7, or about 5:06 per mile.

Also running as a pair and scoring for Pendleton Heights were Cole Buck and Sean Roan, who finished third with a time of 31:47.5, or a pace of 5:18. Pendleton Heights runners Avry Carpenter and Jayden Wenning finished 10th with a time of 32:57.7, a pace of 5:30 per mile.

The Arabians girls cross country team also kicked off its season at the HSE event.

The leading Arabians pair, finishing eighth, were freshmen Laney Ricker and Katie Jones.

Other finishers included Maddy McKee and Berkeley Lord, 12th place; Hailee Brunnemer and Riley Hays, 13th place; Elizabeth Welpott and Catherine Dudley, 14th place; and Delaney Busby and Betsy McKinney, 15th place.