Marcus Jones (26) of Richmond, VA wins the open half marathon.

After strong but not stellar finishes in the McDonald's X- country Festival at Maymont last year, Ben Dejarnette and Megan Marisco returned this year to win it all.

Dejarnette, a senior at Atlee High School in Mechanicsville, VA, won the boys' invitational division with a time of 15 minutes and 40 seconds against top-ranked runners from throughout the Southeast region. Andrew Colley, a senior at Jamestown High School, was second (15:42), and Kyle Satterwhite, a senior at Western Albemarle, was third (15:59).

"I took the lead on the downhill at two and a half miles," said Dejarnette, who finished 11th last year. "And I was able to hold it on a painful uphill."

In the boys' team events, the Colley-led Jamestown runners beat nationally ranked the Collins Hill, of Georgia, (138 points) and Medina, of Ohio, boys with a point total of 109. Also showing well was Broughton (181 points), of North Carolina, who finished third ahead of Medina (194 points).

The McDonald's X-country Festival at Maymont had signed up more than 386 teams representing128 schools from 10 states and the District of Columbia, for a total of 3,099 runners, an all-time record.

Girls' invitational division winner Junior Megan Marisco, of Glenvar High School in Salem, Virginia won handily in 17 minutes 55 seconds over Senior Amanda Winslow, of Collins Hill (18:22); while last year's winner Junior Kathleen Lautzenheiser, of Midlothian (18:31) was third.

"This is the biggest meet we've been in," said Marisco, who was 20th at last year's McDonald's X-country Festival at Maymont. "I was surprised I won."

Delaware's Tatnall School (69 points) won the girls' team in a tie-breaker over Collins Hill (69 points) while Blacksburg, of Virginia, was third with 116 points. "As a team they ran their best race of the season today," said Tatnall coach Lauren DiGennaro.

Open 5K and Half Marathon

In the open 5K races held on Friday, September 26th, Richmond's Jon Molz, 21, was the winner, covering the same course as the high school racers in 16 minutes 21 seconds. A recent graduate of the University of Richmond, Molz knows the course well as a coach for the St. Catherine's girls' cross country teams. "If you're looking to challenge yourself, it's a great cross country course," he said. The women's open 5K race was won by Andrea Wright (47) of Charlottesville, VA, who was running in her first ever cross country race, and finished in 20 minutes 12 seconds. "I thought this fall I would try something new," said Wright whose daughter Megan was set to compete in high school races for Albemarle High School on Saturday the 27th. "And I loved being out here. It's a beautiful course."

The men's half marathon winner was Marcus Jones (26) a cross country coach at St. Michael's Middle School and Trinity High School, who covered the 13.1-mile part-road, part-trail course in 1:16:05 hours. "I love that this McDonald's X-country Festival Maymont meet has been built up over the past five years," said Jones. "As a high school coach, it's great that we get a big, elite-level meet here in town. I'm really proud of Richmond and proud of this race that they're able to pull it off."

Jeannie Trent (47) of Richmond won the women's half marathon in 1:34:52 hours. Recalling that she has won the race previously, she explained that she her SEAL Team Physical Training program was extremely helpful for her result. "We probably have run every bit of this during SEAL Team, so I know the trails well," she said.

For full results go to www.sportsbackers.org.