COMPETITION is hotting up in the Neville Jones Warrington Schools Cross Country League ahead of the final round.

Series contests are close following the weekend’s second round at Walton Gardens, especially in the primary schools age groups.

Saturday’s action, in a popular series which is this year being supported by Snowdrop Personalised Products, started with the Year 4/5 girls’ race over one lap of the course, with Emilia Gandy (Christ Church) running out a clear winner as she had done in the first round.

Ivy Davidson (Appleton Thorn) came through for second place with Emily Ebbrell (St Monica’s) taking third place.

In the team event, Appleton Thorn took first place on 22 points from St Monica’s on 23 and Stockton Heath third on 40.

After two rounds Gandy leads on two points from Charlotte Brighouse (Stockton Heath) and Emily Ebbrell (St Monica’s) both on six points, while in the team event St Monica’s lead on 54 points from Appleton Thorn on 74 and Stockton Heath on 81.

In the Year 4/5 boys race, Alex Farrell (Ravenbank) also repeated his victory from the first round with Alfie Furnival (Moore) second and Tristan Tickle (Woolston CE) third.

Ravenbank were clear winners of the team event on seven points, from Culcheth and Grappenhall Heys on 47.

After two races, Farrell is leading on 2 points from Seb Hughes (Ravenbank), Tickle, Alfie Furnival and Elliot Reeves (St Wilfrid’s) all on seven points.

In the team event, Ravenbank lead on 16 points from Broomfield and St Wilfrid’s both on 84.

Bethany Roberts (Ravenbank), in the Year 6 race, became the third athlete to duplicate her first-round win but only just.

Esmie Wiles (Broomfields) narrowly failed to catch her, with both being given the same time. Lois Johnston-Starrs (Ravenbank) took third place.

Ravenbank won the team event on 15 points from Broomfields on 17 and Cherry Tree on 36.

Ahead of the third round, Roberts leads on two points from Wiles on four and Johnston-Starrs on six, while in the team event Broomfields lead on 36 points from St Monica’s on 37 and Ravenbank on 54.

Toby Harrison (Cherry Tree) also duplicated his Year 6 boys first-round win, ahead of Ethan Paize (Culcheth) and Finn Hill (St Wilfrid’s).

Cherry Tree came out on top in the team event on 13 points, with Broomfields and St Monica’s behind them on 30 and 36.

After two races, Harrison leads on 2 points from Rhys Marrington (Cherry Tree) and Hill both on six, while in the team contest Cherry Tree are leading on 26 points from Broomfields on 60 and St Wilfrid’s on 67.

In the secondary schools event, the Year 7 girls race was won by Grace Rashud (Cardinal Newman) ahead of Leah Poole (Lymm) and Holly Dutton (Great Sankey).

Lymm won the team event on nine points.

Over the series, Rashud leads on two points from Imogen Roberts and Leah Poole, both Lymm, on six points, while Lymm are the only team to complete on 17 points.

In the Year 7 boys, Harry Millar (Culcheth) was in front of Eddie Walker (Lymm) and Matthew Anderson (Birchwood). It is the same order in the series, with the points totals being two, four and seven respectively.

Evie-May Williams (Lymm) won the Year 8/9 girls race with Ellie Grace Stuart (Lymm) and Tallie Sze (Birchwood) the next to finish.

Lymm triumphed in the team event with two points, followed by Birchwood on 16.

After two races Williams leads on two points from Grace Stuart on six and Emma Thornton (Lymm) on 10. Lymm lead the team series on 10 points from Birchwood on 43.

In the Year 8/9 boys, Euan Lawton (Great Sankey) was first, chased in by Thomas Darbyshire (Sir Thomas Boteler) and Ben Shaw (Lymm).

Lymm won the team race on 13 points from Sir Thomas Boteler on 14.

Lawton leads the series on two points from Darbyshire on six and Shaw on eight, while Lymm top the team table on 30 points from Sir Thomas Boteler on 33.

Ellie Barker (Sir Thomas Boteler) was the only finisher in the Year 10/11 girls age group and is on two points after two races.

In the boys race, Elliot Taylor (St Gregory’s) came home ahead of William Kenwright (Sir Thomas Boteler).

After two races, Taylor leads on two points from Kenwright on five.

The third and final round takes place at Walton Gardens on Saturday, November 18.