By Coach Kevin Gartman
WINFIELD – The Montezuma cross country teams competed at Winfield-Mt. Union on Thursday evening, Oct. 3, and got to experience their first big weather change of the season.
From 87 degrees and humid to 56 degrees and windy, the teams ran in a more comfortable environment.
The high school girls placed second, just seven points behind a very good Danville-New London team.
Elise Boulton finished second, setting a new school record for the high school girls 5K with a 20:28.
Madison Johannes finished 8th, Mia Boulton 10th, and Rebeka Teumer 15th.
In the JV race, Katie Probasco finished 4th, Sadie De Jong 5th, and Madelyn De Jong was 6th. Across the board, the high school girls ran nearly all of their fastest times of the year, and many in their careers.
For the boys, Brydon Henning placed 12th and medaled; Brayden Stockman was 21st, and Colton Benson finished with his fastest time of the season by an astounding three minutes and 25 seconds.
Junior Dillon Nash finished his first cross country race of his career and was all smiles at the finish line.
The junior high girls ran short-handed with four runners absent but performed quite well!
Kenna Johannes led the Bravettes with a 7th place individual finish, completing her two-mile race with a time exactly three minutes faster than her time on the course last year.
Lydia Singleton came in shortly behind Kenna, turning in a strong performance! Camryn Brennan willed her way to a finish two minutes and four seconds faster than the previous year, and Hayley Burnett and Catelynn Coffin rounded out the JH girls with their strongest paced runs of the year.
The junior high boys outnumbered the girls for the first time this season.
Carter McKee led the Braves with a 7th place finish, and Jack Erselius came in 11th with a time 57 seconds faster than last year on the same course.
Bryson Stockman continues to impress as he doubles in cross country and football and ran well with limited cross country practice time.
Jayden Ross showed his growth, coming in with a time two minutes and seven seconds faster than last year. 7th graders Jusiah Wetering and Spencer Ross showed great grit and determination in the race to finish with strong kicks.
COMING ATTRACTIONS – The Montezuma cross country teams compete twice in the next week, competing Monday, Oct. 7 at Hillcrest Academy (formerly Iowa Mennonite School) and Thursday, Oct. 10 at home at the Montezuma Country Club.