MP boys rule SEC again, girls finish third at conference XC

BY ANDY KRUTSINGER

Mt. Pleasant News

FAIRFIELD ? The Mt. Pleasant cross-country teams shined bright at the Southeast Conference meet in Fairfield on Thursday night.

The Mt. Pleasant boys had another fantastic race, winning with 16 points and placing six in the top seven. The girls? team finished third, with 50 points, just five points behind Fairfield and 12 points ahead of Washington.

Logan Murray jumped out in the lead early and led the pack the whole way. He finished the race in 15:48, ahead of a trio of teammates.

Cody Mertens took second place, in 16:06. Kyle Vanderham was third, in 16:35. Ryan Hutchinson was fourth, in 16:41, and Jonathan Ita rounded out the MPCHS scorers with a sixth-place 16:56.

Dalton Krum made it seven Panther boys in the top 10. He placed seventh, with a time of 17:07. Ben Zihlman was just two spots away from an all-conference spot with a 12th place, 17:37.

Abby Ryon scooped up an All-SEC spot in her first conference championship meet. She placed fifth, in 19:40.

Kelsey Notestein and Delaney McDowell finished just out of the top 10. Notestein placed 11th, in 21:12, and McDowell was 12th, in 21:18.

Taylor Murray gave Mt. Pleasant four top-15 finishers with a 14th-place 21:32. Claire Holtkamp finished off the scorers, finishing in 18th place, with a time of 21:54.63.

Kendall Dascher finished 24th, in 22:59, and Aurora Vansickle placed 25th, in 23:05. Mt. Pleasant was one of just two teams to place all seven girls in the top 25. SEC-champion Ft. Madison was the other.

The Panthers will travel to Pella for their state-qualifying meet on Thursday, Oct. 20, at 4 p.m.

SEC BOYS? TEAM STANDINGS: 1. Mt. Pleasant, 16; 2. Ft. Madison, 57; 3. Fairfield, 81; 4. Washington, 94; 5. Keokuk, 136.

SEC GIRLS? TEAM STANDINGS: 1. Ft. Madison, 27; 2 Fairfield, 55; 3. Mt. Pleasant, 60; 4. Washington, 72; 5. Keokuk, (No team score)

SEC BOYS? ALL-CONFERENCE: 1. Logan Murray, Mt. Pleasant, 15:48; 2. Cody Mertens, Mt. Pleasant, 16:06; 3. Kyle Vanderham, Mt. Pleasant, 16:35; 4. Ryan Hutchinson, Mt. Pleasant, 16:41; 5. Aaron Steffensmeier, Ft. Madison, 16:49; 6. Jonathan Ita, Mt. Pleasant, 16:56; 7. Dalton Krum, Mt. Pleasant, 17:07; 8. Dayne Cordray, Ft. Madison, 17:09; 9. Evan Horak, Washington, 17:19.01; 10. Gannon Courtright, Fairfield, 17:19.88.

SEC GIRLS? ALL-CONFERENCE: 1. Sierra Howardson, Ft. Madison, 18:31; 2. Claire Horak, Washington, 18:49; 3. Brett Schneider, Ft. Madison, 18:53; 4. Ashley Bloomquist, Fairfield, 18:59; 5. Abby Ryon, Mt. Pleasant, 19:40; 6. Claire Mendez, Ft. Madison, 20:05; 7. Ashyln Elmore, Fairfield, 20:39; 8. Cyaleigh Smith, Ft. Madison, 20:48; 9. Elizabeth Miller, Ft. Madison, 20:52; 10. Maggie Ferrel, Fairfield, 21:08.