Demon cross-country dominates

FAIRFIELD — The Washington cross-country team got the chance to flex its muscle against local competition at Waterworks Park in Fairfield on Thursday evening. The Demons swept the big school competition, winning the girls’ race by 10 points and the boys’ race by 32.

  Buy Photo

“It's fantastic,” said Micah Rees, who dominated the boys’ race, finishing in 15:49. “Our packs are so much closer, and you can just tell they've got a year under their belt. They're doing fantastic.”

Rees won the big school race by over a minute. Tyler Alderton was the second big school runner to cross the finish line, finishing in 17:17, and Andrew Rees was third among big school boys, crossing in 17:25.

Washington’s Lane Schrock finished seventh. Kael Malichky was 14th. Andrew Shepherd was 18th, and Drew Conrad finished 22nd.

The Mt. Pleasant boys took second overall, and that was partially due to a fourth-place finish by Ben Carthey and a fifth-place finish by Jude Dykstra. The two finished in 17:26 and 17:40 respectively.

  Buy Photo

“My goal is for Jude to beat me this year,” said Carthey after the race. “So then I can say I helped him.”

Locken Henderson took 17th. Coleman Mowery was 25th. Garrett Landau took 30th. Gavin Slagel was 41st, and Drake Landau finished 43rd.

Fairfield’s Nate Konczal took 13th on the big school boys’ side, finishing in 18:35. Gabe Tejada was 26th, in 19:39.

Riley Perkins finished 28th. Ben Boatright was 32nd. John Miller took 33rd. Solomon Clauson was 38th, and Andrew Myers took 42nd.

Columbus took second in the small school boys’ standings, finishing 24 points behind first place Mediapolis. Damian Vergara’s seventh-place finish helped that. Vergara finished in 18:23, and Ian Estudillo took 12th, in 19:18.

Bryan Tlatenchi was 15th. Cade Storm took 18th. Ellis Hills-Carrier was 77th. Drake Martin took 104th, and Juan Alcala finished 134th.

Van Buren County took third place, three behind Columbus. Lincoln Bainbridge took third place, in 17:37. Gavin Noll was 11th, in 18:28, and Landry Loeffler took 10th, in 19:10.

Kayden Farris finished 24th. Jackson Meek was 35th. Lincoln Shaw took 56th.

Winfield-Mount Union was fourth. Kohlby Newsom took fourth overall, in 17:55 and Gabriel Hemsworth finished ninth, in 19:09.

  Buy Photo

Ty Scorpil finished 17th. Bowen Thomson was 22nd, and Jacob Nelson finished 32nd.

Cardinal finished seventh, thanks in part to a 16th place finish by Christian Vass and a 28th-place finish by Kyran Speas. Hillcrest Academy’s Micah Gerber and Jesse Blossom took 13th and 32nd respectively, for second as a team. Highland’s Jacob Schneider and Chase Hickenbottom were 38th and 39th.

The Washington girls put all seven players in the Top-16, led by Loran Horak, who finished fifth place, in 21:29. Iris Dahl was right behind her, taking sixth, in 21:30.

Quincy Griffis finished ninth, in 22:03. Isabella Lujan was 12th. Taylor Bartholomew took 13th. Emma Horak was 15th, and Kendall Hinrichsen finished 16th.

Fairfield took seventh in the big school race. Carley Seeley was the top Trojan on the day for either gender, as she took 10th place, in 22:15.

“We were all really excited, because we always have a fantastic turnout, and for us seniors, it's the last time on the course,” Seeley said. “I know that always brings a little extra sentiment.”

Malena Bloomquist took 21st, finishing in 23:55. Caroline Van Pelt was 37th. Paige Bisgard finished 43rd. Emerson Porter was 47th, an Lydia Cass took 51st.

Mt. Pleasant’s Nelle Peterson led the Panthers to an eighth-place finish, taking 30th, in 24:53. Monroe James finished second. Jayden Yoder was third. Tatum Kane ended in 46th, and Hailey Parrott took 52nd.

Hillcrest Academy’s Marie Yoder was the top small school runner. The freshman finished the race in 21:12 to take home the top spot. She was one of three Hillcrest runners, as Delaney Shaw took 89th, and Brynna O’Rourke finished 109th.

  Buy Photo

Of the scoring teams, Columbus had the best two runners. Iris Garza finished in 22:25, and Ariana Vergara finished in 23:08. The Wildcats finished third as a team.

BIG SCHOOL GIRLS STANDINGS

1. Washington 45

2. Fort Madison 55

3. Ottumwa 94

4. Keokuk 95

5. Oskaloosa 111

6. Burlington 153

7. Fairfield 158

8. Mt. Pleasant 208

SMALL SCHOOL GIRLS STANDINGS

1. Mediapolis 46

2. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 47

3. Columbus 67

4. Danville 68

5. Wapello 116

6. Chariton 153

BIG SCHOOL BOYS STANDINGS

1. Washington 27

2. Fort Madison 59

3. Mt. Pleasant 81

4. Oskaloosa 97

5. Fairfield 132

6. Ottumwa 133

7. Burlington 160

8. Keokuk 244

SMALL SCHOOL BOYS STANDINGS

1. Mediapolis 53

2. Columbus 77

3. Van Buren County 80

4. Winfield-Mount Union 84

5. Danville 124

6. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont 163

7. Cardinal 164

8. Hillcrest Academy 166

9. Highland 220