PARMA, Idaho — The Union/Cove cross-country team started the season with a team title on the boys side and a second-place showing for the girls at the Parma Invite on Thursday, Aug. 24.

Senior Eli Williams led all racers on the boys side, winning the race in a time of 18 minutes, 3.9 seconds. He was followed by teammate Nathanael O’Reilly, a junior, in second and to complete the sweep of the top three runners, sophomore William Mallory grabbed third place.

The Union/Cove boys returned home with a point total of 22 points, well ahead of second-place Weiser, Idaho, with 53 points. Ontario, with 74 points, placed third in the team standings.

The Bobcat girls saw the host Parma squad grab the team title with a point total of 37 points, while Union/Cove amassed 46 points.

One Union/Cove runner placed in the top five as sophomore Taylor Weishar finished fifth with a time of 24:5.0 for the 5,000 meters. Just outside the top five, sophomore Angel Shields-Marrs placed seventh, followed by freshman Millie Miller in eighth. Junior Josie Patton ended her race in the ninth position.

Union/Cove will be on the bus back to Idaho on Sept. 8 at the Rolling Hills Golf Course for the Weiser Invite. Middle school runners leave the start line at 9 a.m. with high school runners to follow.