Former Bainbridge High School tennis coach Pauncho Hufstetler topped a 78-runner field Saturday to win the Bainbridge-Decatur County YMCA’s annual 10,000 meter, 6.2-mile Veterans Day Classic Run in a time of 37 minutes and nine seconds.

Hufstetler, who also teaches history at BHS, said he thought the run course was challenging. The course, which started and ended at Bainbridge College, was described by race organizers as flat, winding through the Lake Douglas area and U.S. Track and Field certified.

“I’ve been running seriously for about a year and a half,” Hufstetler said. “I really enjoyed today’s run.”

Saturday’s female champion was Brook Pace of Tallahassee, Fla. She was 18th overall with a time of 46 minutes, 44 seconds. She also thought the course was challenging.

The top male masters (over 40) winner was Sean Hudson, who was second overall in a time of 39 minutes and the top female masters winner was Julie Harris of Bainbridge, who was 27th overall in a time of 51 minutes, 48 seconds.

Greg Waddell of Bainbridge was third overall in a time of 39 minutes, 48 seconds. He also was the top Decatur County male finisher behind Hufstetler.

The top female Decatur County finisher was Shana Martin, who was 25th overall in a time of 50 minutes, 59 seconds.

Finishing fourth through 10th overall Saturday were Cole Tessier in a time of 40:23, Cole Ferrington in a time of 40:25, Ridge Harper in a time of 40:39, Al Goudzwaard in a time of 40:41, Cory Gerbrandt in a time of 41:08, Bing Xu, in a time of 41:18 and Michael Kennett in a time of 43:24.