| By Gaylen Duskey
Defending Calhoun Cup champion Brian Taylor returned to the 2009 Cup series with a resounding victory in the Kim Bell Nationwide-Wood Festival 5K held Saturday morning in Grantsville.
Taylor, a Spencer resident, missed the opening race - the Flower Power Run - but was on his game in the Wood Festival 5K with a time of 18:04 to beat Zach Hanshaw. Hanshaw, who runs for the Calhoun High School cross country team, had a time of 18:12.
Wirt County 3200 meter runner Brittani Gaskins won the women's run while Mark Rooper won the men's walk and Connie McColley the women's walk.
Ryan Gregory was third behind Taylor and Hanshaw with a time of 18:58. Paul Coon at 19:29 was fourth followed by Tom McColley was fifth at 20:55.
James Murray (21:52), William Baker (22:24), Michael Fitzwater (22:24.3) Duane Haughty (23:05) and David Overbay (24:56) rounded out the top 10.
Brenda Bush (22:19) finished second behind Gaskins. April Petrovsky (24:45), Leshia Broadwater (25:17) rounded out the top five. Monica Heiney (26:15), Amy Nicholas (26:32), Melinda Fitzwater (26:55) and Sharon Pitts (30:49) rounded out the field.
The next race in the Calhoun Cup Series is June 20 at 9 a.m. with the Appalachian Classic.
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