Dan Carey Photo FROM LEFT, KINGSFORD’S Taylor DeMay, Melanie Wenzel, Sarah Kulas, Lily Menghini, Grace Cole, Gabby Carey and Baily Broecker hold their trophy after Monday’s cross country victory.

GAASTRA — The Kingsford girls continued their late-season surge here Monday, winning their second straight cross country meet.

Kingsford scored 39 points. Hancock squeezed past Westwood 60-61 for runner-up honors and Houghton was fourth at 71 in the West Iron County Invitational, which also served as this season’s fourth WestPAC Conference meet.

“We lost to Houghton by three points the week before (at the Westwood Invite Oct. 1),” said Kingsford coach Dan Carey. “I think we’re in good position going into Thursday (Great Northern Conference meet) on our home course. I think we’re heading in the right direction. I really wasn’t thinking we were going to win today.”

The Flivvers were fresh from edging Marquette by two points in last Thursday’s Gladstone Invite at Flat Rock.

The Ishpeming boys, who grabbed five of the top six places, won with 20 points. They were followed by Houghton 36, Negaunee 85 and Ironwood 100.

“We need to do the same in the Finals,” coach P.J. Pruett said of the Hematites’ two through six finish. “Our boys are getting faster which is a good sign at the end of the year.”

Negaunee senior Emily Paupore won the 3.1-mile course at the George Young Recreation Complex in 19 minutes, 33.4 seconds, two days after placing ninth in Division 1 in the Portage Invitational in a school-record 18:31.1.

Negaunee senior Emily Paupore took the girls’ race at 19:33.4, two days after placing ninth in Division 1 at downstate Portage in a school-record 18:31.1.

“I kind of expected that,” she said. “I ran as hard as I could on Saturday. I kind of wanted to peak for that race at this time of year. I’m glad I got the race in downstate. My legs felt stiff at times and I felt it on the hills. I ran a tempo pace today.”

Kingsford junior Melanie Wenzel placed second (20:55.9), followed by Negaunee senior Talon Prusi (21:03.5), Houghton sophomore Ingrid Seagren (21:11.3) and Westwood’s Elizabeth Williams (21:32.8).

“Melanie is very consistent,” said Carey. “This is Melanie’s first year and she’s intelligent enough to figure things out. She has learned a lot this year. Every race she’s learning something new.”

Kingsford’s Sarah Kulas