By Coach Kevin Gartman
FORT DODGE – The Montezuma varsity girls cross country team competed at the 2020 Iowa High School Cross Country Championships on a warm but windy Halloween afternoon, Oct. 31.
Returning to state competition as a team for the first time since the Bravettes’ 1982 4th place finish, the team came in ranked 16th in the state.
Accomplishing a rare feat in girls cross country, senior Elise Boulton made her fourth consecutive appearance at the state championship.
Running a 20:58 and placing 28th, Elise capped off her cross country career with her highest placing at a state competition. Elise ends her cross country career as arguably the most-decorated cross country runner in school history, and certainly since the state extended the distance from two miles in 2002. Elise’s 20:28 5K and 22:19 Montezuma Country Club 5K are both school records.
Sophomore Mia Boulton, also an automatic individual qualifier, ran a new career-best time by 45 seconds, finishing 54th in the field of 152 runners with a time of 21:44. That time on the state course ties her with Olivia Krousie, ’18, for the second-fastest girls 5K time in school history. With the significant time cut, Boulton surpassed 9 ranked runners over the course of the season, and positioned her team for success.
Finishing 98th, in her strongest time of the 2020 season, was sophomore Madison “MJ” Johannes with a 22:43. Following Johannes, with her new career-best time, was junior Haley Van Der Hart (125th), in a time of 23:36.
Senior Carmen Klos, in her final competition, finished with her third-strongest performance of her career, and certainly her grittiest performance in 130th with a 23:56. Running 6th and 7th for the Bravettes, both coming in with very strong kicks to finish their races, were Rebeka Teumer (140th) and Makenna Johannes (146th).
As a team, the Bravettes finished 15th, to improve upon their position among the ranks coming into the meet. With four seniors leaving the program, their dedication and effort which has elevated the program to new heights will be missed.
These seniors leave the program with two SICL conference titles and a state meet appearance. Thanks to Elise Boulton, Alyssa Cline, Carmen Klos, and Katie Probasco for their years of work, endless leadership, and effort to build a family atmosphere.
Despite big shoes to fill, the future is bright for next year’s Bravettes.
Bravettes at state
152 total runners
Montezuma placed 15th out of 16 full teams.
Individuals
28 – Elise Boulton, 20:58.7
54 – Mia Boulton, 21:44.8.
98 – Madison Johannes, 22:43.5.
125 – Haley Van Der Hart, 23:36.6.
130 – Carmen Klos, 23:56.8
140 – Rebeka Teumer, 24:32.6.
146 – Makenna Johannes, 25:56.2.
