JOHN Humphries, of St Nicholas High School, was Mid-Cheshire’s only medal-winner during Saturday’s Cheshire Schools’ Cross Country Championships in Winsford.

The 15-year-old was second in the inter boys’ race at Knights Grange, while Middlewich High School’s Alex Doyle was fourth.

Harry Dexter (Hartford Church of England), Oliver Waring (Middlewich) and Ben Lee (Grange) all classified inside the top 10.

Sophie Smith, a student at Sir John Deane’s College, narrowly missed out on a medal in the senior girls’ race.

Weaverham’s Esme Bridge had to settle for fourth too in the inter girls’ category.

Three Mid-Cheshire runners – Faye Conboy (Leftwich), Olivia Herron (Cransley) and Kate Sherry (Grange) – ranked inside the top 10 among the minor girls.

St Nick’s pupil Luke Chambers was eighth in the junior boys’ class, while Chloe Dooley (Sir John Deane’s) crossed the line in the same position in the senior girls’ race.

Josh Betteley, a Vale Royal Athletics Club member representing South Cheshire, took gold in the senior boys’ race ahead of clubmate Cameron Weaver (Chester).

Sandbach School’s Alfie Bould, another who runs for Vale Royal, claimed silver for South Cheshire in the junior boys’ race.

There were bronze gongs too for Vale Royal members Holly Smith (South Cheshire), in the junior girls’ class, and Arun Dight – another from Sandbach School – among inter boys.

Selectors for Cheshire’s team will now meet to decide who represents the county at the English Schools’ Cross Country Championships – to be held this year at Wollaton Park in Nottingham – in March.