Demon runners stay hot in Pekin

PEKIN ? The Washington cross-country team endured another hot night in the Demons? second meet of the season.

After competing at IMS on Tuesday, the Demons went to Pekin on Thursday night, where the heat didn?t slow them down.

Washington sophomore Brennan Horak saw his time cut by a minute from Tuesday?s meet as he led the boys? team with a 17th place finish. After running a 19:34 at IMS, he ran an 18:55 at Pekin as his strength helped him through the hot day.

?He had strength and was relaxed and confident,? Washington cross-country head coach Steve Roth said. ?I didn?t challenge him, but I didn?t assume that we?d run better and that it would be hard on them, and he proved me wrong. He ran the best race of his career so far. It goes back to track season and I?m happy for him because he?s put a lot of time in.?

Following Brennan was junior Owen Horak, who finished in 29th place with a time of 19:42. Sophomore Jacob Van Osdol shaved off 15 seconds from his IMS meet, taking 45th with a time of 20:32, while Andres Gutierrez took 76th with a 22:15 and Kiowa Keith finished in 80th with a 22:15.

Ben Loy took 90th overall with a time of 23:04 while Ben Schiefer ran a 24:04 for 107th.

As a team, the Demon boys took ninth at the 13-team meet.

On the girls? side, there could be a rivalry brewing between the top two runners on the Demons, as senior Emme Keith and sophomore Brooke Stout each competed well.

Keith recovered from Tuesday?s meet by taking 11th place with a time of 21:45, while Stout shaved off 50 seconds from the meet at IMS, taking 12th with a time of 21:52.

Washington freshman Molly Sparks finished third for the Demons in 25th place with a time of 23:48 (nearly two minutes faster than at the IMS meet two days prior), and Roth said that trio should help lead the team for the season.

?It?s very nice,? Roth said. ?We have two people (Keith and Stout) who are going to push each other, and I?m very happy with Molly Sparks, who I thought had an outstanding two meets. She?s going to help us down the road.?

Meredith Raber took 35th for the Demons with a 25:07 while Lexi Redlinger rounded out the scoring with a 26:49 to take 59th place.

Morgan Brinning finished with a 27:06 to take 61st place, while Peyton Cuddeback ran a 27:46 to take 72nd place.

The girls? team finished in fourth place overall.

With two hot meets over and done with, Roth said the training the runners put themselves through in the summer is starting to pay big dividends for the entire team.

?They worked really well in the summer,? Roth said. ?They did what I asked them to, and I was in contact with four or five of them over the summer. They?d tell me their miles each week and they had a great summer, so that?s why they can handle these conditions. They are hurting, but that?s what we talked about at the end of the year. Training starts in June or July.?