The Spring Lake girls cross country team put forth a stellar performance at the Sparta Invitational, narrowly missing out on the top spot in the 5,000-meter Gold Division by just one point to Forest Hills Eastern. Junior Alexis Kotkowicz led the Lakers with a season-best time of 19:58.61, placing 4th overall and setting the tone for the team's strong showing. Freshman standout Kaleigh Clark followed with a personal record of 20:35.61 to secure 8th place, while junior Meghan Guczwa came in right behind in 9th place, finishing in 20:41.31. Sophomore Cora Parker and senior Lexie Ruffing rounded out the top five for Spring Lake, with Parker posting a personal record of 20:56.33 for 13th place and Ruffing achieving a season-best time of 21:01.67 to place 14th. The depth of the Lakers' squad was further demonstrated by senior Bethany Zimmerman, who finished 19th with a season-best 21:13.88, and freshman Briella Kohley, who recorded a personal record of 21:17.09 to place 20th. Sophomore Shannon Losee (22:25.92) and senior Lydia Recor, who set a season-best 22:50.16, completed the team’s efforts, contributing to Spring Lake's impressive second-place finish. Despite falling short by a single point, the Lakers' performance highlights the team's talent and determination as they look ahead to the rest of the season. In the Gold Division reserve race, the Spring Lake girls continued their strong showing with multiple personal and season records. Junior Samantha Conley led the way for the Lakers, finishing 7th overall with a season-best time of 23:10.31. Sophomore Karis Locke and senior Evelyn Vandlen followed closely, securing 14th and 16th places with season-best times of 24:08.56 and 24:23.91, respectively. Sophomore Maya Overway also ran a season-best, finishing 17th with a time of 24:30.13. Freshman Madeline Vink recorded a personal record of 24:44.76 to place 22nd, while fellow freshmen Julia Klein and Abby Geyer both set personal records to take 30th and 31st. Other standout performances included personal records from senior Sydney Schaner (26:20.22), sophomores Ellie Wathen (27:15.69) and Lucy DeBoer (27:26.33), and several other Lakers who showed improvement across the board. The consistent gains from the reserve team reflect the depth and potential within the Spring Lake program, as the team continues to push for success at every level of competition.