The Magnolia Blue Eagle Boys’ Cross Country Team, after wining the Wendy’s Meet in Brooke last weekend, participated in the Doddridge County Invitational Sept. 16. The Eagles didn’t win, but they did finish third overall, behind Grafton and St. Marys out of 14 teams.

The girls doesn’t have enough for a team, but Rachel Hoffpauir placed 39th with a time of 25:06; Christa Harshberger, 49th at 26:01; and Julianne McIlvain, in 116th place with a time of 35:43.

The Doddridge course, known as “Big Bertha,” is one of the most difficult ones in high school competition and many believe it has about everything a cross country course could have. It has a little bit each of woods, hills, creek water and flat grounds and reminds many runners of the old Elkins State Cross Country Course.

It also is where the regional meet will be held, so runners of this course will have a preview of what may lie ahead for them.

Joe “White Shoes” Feeney was the boys’ top runner with an 11th place finish in 19:13; Nathan Harshberger, 17th at 19:26; Alec Hinerman, 18th at 19:27; and Bill Feeney, 24th with a time of 19:36. Placing 66th out of 127 boy runners was James Haught at 21:37.