The Spring Lake girls varsity cross country team earned an impressive 5th-place finish out of 13 teams at the 42nd annual West Ottawa Bredeweg Invitational. Leading the Lakers was junior Alexis Kotkowicz, who finished 20th overall with a strong time of 20:15.25. Freshman Kaleigh Clark followed in 35th place, clocking in at 21:12.82, while sophomore Cora Parker and junior Meghan Guczwa finished back-to-back in 37th and 38th with times of 21:19.67 and 21:20.24, respectively. Senior Lexie Ruffing rounded out the top five for Spring Lake with a 41st-place finish and a time of 21:30.15, keeping the team in a competitive position throughout the race. Senior Bethany Zimmerman and freshman Briella Kohley came in just seconds apart, placing 49th and 50th, respectively, with times of 22:05.39 and 22:06.58. Senior Kaitlyn Zonca followed closely behind with a 55th-place finish, running 22:11.07. Senior Lydia Recor also set a season record, finishing 77th with a time of 23:00.34, while sophomore Shannon Losee completed the team’s efforts with a time of 23:29.23. The Lakers' collective depth and solid performances across all grades contributed to their top-five finish, showcasing a promising balance of experience and emerging talent. In the girls reserve race, the Spring Lake runners displayed remarkable effort, with many setting personal or season records. Leading the charge was junior Lydia Brown, who finished 16th with a season-best time of 23:35.27. Fellow junior Samantha Conley followed in 20th place, crossing the line at 24:03.69. Senior Evelyn Vandlen and sophomore Karis Locke both posted season-best performances, finishing 38th and 40th, respectively, while junior Avery Kuhlman set a personal record of 25:11.27 to secure 41st place. Junior Lily Geyer ran a season-best 25:20.55 for 45th place, and freshman Madeline Vink achieved a personal record with a time of 25:26.90 to come in 47th. Other notable performances include personal records from freshmen Julia Klein (26:15.81) and Abby Geyer (26:16.85), as well as sophomore Ellie Wathen (27:30.68), who finished 71st. Several other runners also set personal records, including Sydney Schaner, Magnolia Weiss, Kyleigh Chittenden, Jessie Whitmore, and Myra Babcock, reflecting the depth and promise within the Spring Lake program. Seniors Molly O'Donnell and Emma Miller, along with junior Addison Clink, all recorded season-best times, rounding out the team’s strong showing in the reserve race. The reserve squad's impressive individual improvements mirror the varsity team's successes, showcasing a bright future for Spring Lake cross country.