Middle school runners open season

KEOSAUQUA ? Fairfield eighth-grader Sam Fritz got her season started on the right foot Tuesday at the Van Buren Invite in Keosauqua.

Fritz cruised to the front of the field in the season-opening middle school race, eventually claiming the individual title in a time of 7:33.

Fritz?s seventh-grade teammate Nicole Buch was 27 ticks behind to take sixth place, and eighth-grader Ashlyn Elmore finished eighth in 8:14. Emily Hanna checked in 17th with a clocking of 8:55, Kylie Kurtz was 18th in 8:56 and Maddie Rauscher finished 33rd in 9:47.

Other top-50 finishes came from Brittney Schafer (35th, 9:54), Shannon Morrissey (37th, 9:57), Mikaela Lunsford (40th, 10:15), Ryan Pate (41st, 10:10), Kylee Marlay (47th, 10:37) and Katrina Cecchini (50th, 10:57). Hailey Patrick (52nd, 11:08), Felicia Porter (62nd, 12:20) and Holly Harward (69th, 14:16) also competed.

For the Trojan boys, Elijah Parr finished in the top 10 with an eighth-place time of 8:02. Additionally, Connor Ryan (35th, 9:12), Collin Williams (50th, 9:47), Walker Allen (56th, 10:18) and Lane Yates (63rd, 12:43) ran for Fairfield.

The Trojan middle school runners are back in action today at the Fairfield Invite.

Fairfield Middle School Boys

8. Elijah Parr (8:02), 35. Connor Ryan (9:12), 50. Collin Williams (9:47), 56. Walker Allen (10:18), 63. Lane Yates (12:43)

Fairfield Middle School Girls

1. Sam Fritz (7:33), 6. Nicole Buch (8:00), 8. Ashlyn Elmore (8:14), 17. Emily Hanna (8:55), 18. Kylie Kurtz (8:56), 33. Maddie Rauscher (9:47), 35. Brittney Schafer (9:54), 37. Shannon Morrissey (9:57), 40. Mikaela Lunsford (10:15), 41. Ryan Pate (10:10), 47. Kylee Marlay (10:37), 50. Katrina Cecchini (10:57), 52. Hailey Patrick (11:08), 62. Felicia Porter (12:20), 69. Holly Harward (14:16)