Northdale shines on Valley X-C trails

   The Dorchester school brings home three team titles, two team silvers, 

   a pair of individual gold medals by Brooklyn Samko and Ella Grieve

  November 5, 2025

Hometownplay.ca

DORCHESTER, Ont. - Two individual race winners and three team champions made for a phenomenal day for Northdale Central at Valley cross country.

The intermediate (Grade six) girls and both the bantam (Grade four) girls and boys brought home team titles, from the Thames Valley District School Board elementary final meet, October 21 at Fanshawe Conservation Area.

Brooklyn Samko captured her third Valley title winning the intermediate girls race, after being the junior champ a year ago and bantam winner in 2023.

Samko led Northdale Central to the intermediate girls team title, along with Sophia Wood, Cadence Webster, Aubrey Graham and Jolene Fletcher.

Ella Grieve won the bantam girls the race, leading the team to gold, with Arissa Drazhi, who placed 10th, Kensleigh Wood and Skylene Lywood.

Alex MacDonald finished sixth in the bantam boys race, helping Northdale Central win team gold with Eric Jansel, Emmett Weir, Carson Samko and Lewis Pemberton.

Taking silver were both the open girls (Grade eight) (Brooke Masse, Laine Robinson, Sophia Smith, Alex Del Bel Belluz) and junior girls (Emma Piche, Aria Thorel, Taylor Nolan, Brooke Graham, Averie Haviland). At the Oxford North regional earlier in October, the open girls took the team title.

Joining Grieve, Samko, Drazhi and MacDonald, with top 10 results at the final meet, were Micah Bursic, third in junior boys (Grade five); Sophia Smith, seventh, open girls and Alex Jansel, 10th, bantam boys. Brooke Masse just missing the top 10, placing 11th in open girls.

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