Fairfield cross country teams finish third at conference

A hefty dose of deja vu settled over the Southeast Conference Meet in Waterworks Park Thursday as the two defending SEC champion teams took their spots on the winners? podium.

Fort Madison won the boys? team title for the third straight year, and Mount Pleasant finished first in the girls? event for the second consecutive season.

In the boys? race, Fort Madison squeezed its five top runners into the top seven to tally just 20 points. Fairfield finished third for the second straight year with 85 points. In the girls' event, Mount Pleasant scored 33 points to beat Fort Madison by six points, while Fairfield finished third with 65.

Following the theme of repeats, Isaac Steffensmeier cruised to his second straight individual conference title, finishing nearly 45 seconds faster than any other runner in 16:17.

For the Trojans, Brandon Taglauer shaved 20 seconds off his Sept. 8 Fairfield Invite time to take ninth-place in 17:51. The junior harrier missed all-conference honors by 11 seconds.

Niko Carlson was the Trojans? second finisher for the first time this season, running the Waterworks Park course in 18:45 for 15th place. Jonah Marks (17th, 18:48), Darrin Dimmitt (18th, 18:50) and Makena Dettman (26th, 19:29) rounded out the team score. Andrew Kessel and Matt Carr were the alternates.

In the girls? race, defending SEC individual champion Jessica Lamb kept it close against Mount Pleasant runner Hannah Weber over the first mile, but Weber took off with the individual title halfway through the race. Weber blazed to a 16:06 finish and dropped 55 seconds off her previous best at Waterworks Park in the process. Lamb, meanwhile, was passed by Fort Madison?s Alyssa Stickfort and Kaylee Alvarez before out-kicking rival Mekenzie Coppage to take fourth individually (16:56).

Lamb earned all-conference honors for the third straight season and was the lone Fairfield runner to earn the recognition, which goes to the top seven runners in both races.

Hannah Sobaski also was top 10 for the Trojans, taking 10th (18:02). Serena Ward, who has spent a majority of the season in the team?s four spot, went out with a bang on her home course. The senior finished 13th overall in 18:14. Tracy Andermann was 17th (18:32), while Danielle Garrison, who last ran 19:10 on the course, dropped 16 seconds to finish 13th overall (18:14).

Also for the Trojans, Sage Richmond was 23rd (19:11) and Kaitlyn Daugherty was 28th (20:55).

In the JV race, Randy Andermann ran second in 18:33, which would have placed him 12th in the varsity race. Logan Swanson was sixth (19:24) and fellow freshman Trevor Starnes was seventh (19:32). Adam Mueller crossed the finish line in 20:34 to finish 17th, Jesse McCabe was 28th (22:18) and Gannon Haile was 32nd (23:24).

The Trojans now have a full week off to prepare for the district meet, which is slated for Thursday in Knoxville.

Final Team Standings ? Boys

1. Fort Madison 20

2. Mount Pleasant 62

3. Fairfield 85

4. Washington 103

5. Keokuk 109

Final Team Standings ? Girls

1. Mount Pleasant 33

2. Fort Madison 39

3. Fairfield 65

4. Washington 79

5. Keokuk 139

Individual Results

All-SEC ? Boys

1. Isaac Steffensmeier (FM, 16:17), 2. Zach May (MP, 17:01), 3. Colter Hentzel (FM, 17:07), 4. Alex Dean (FM, 17:22), 5. Nick Guzman (FM, 17:31), 6. Noah Lebsack (Wash, 17:33), 7. Joel Knipe (FM, 17:40)

All-SEC ? Girls

1. Hannah Weber (MP, 16:06), 2. Alyssa Stickfort (FM, 16:49), 3. Kaylee Alvarez (FM, 16:51), 4. Jessica Lamb (FF, 16:56), 5. Mekenzie Coppage (FM, 16:57), 6. Emma Ludwig (MP, 16:59), 7. Natalie Ita (MP, 17:05)

Fairfield Boys

9. Brandon Taglauer (17:51), 15. Niko Carlson (18:45), 17. Jonah Marks (18:48), 18. Darrin Dimmitt (18:50), 26. Makena Dettmann (19:29), 27. Andrew Kessel (19:33), 30. Matt Carr (20:01)

JV ? 2. Randy Andermann (18:33), 6. Logan Swanson (19:24), 7. Trevor Starnes (19:32), 17. Adam Mueller (20:34), 28. Jesse McCabe (22:18), 32. Gannon Haile (23:24)

Fairfield Girls

4. Jessica Lamb (16:56), 10. Hannah Sobaski (18:02), 13. Serena Ward (18:14), 17. Tracy Andermann (18:32), 21. Danielle Garrison (18:54), 23. Sage Richmond (19:11), 28. Kaitlyn Daugherty (20:55)