Jones finishes second individually
Sports editor
Next week, Marion High School cross country runner Ryan Jones has only once place on his mind: first.
The junior started the season off with a bang Thursday at Abilene, taking second place with a 3.1-mile time of eighteen minutes, 31 seconds.
Junior Louis Holt was fourth at 18:54.
The duo placed higher than last year’s Abilene meet, and ran faster times as well.
Sophomore Andy Shipman took seventh with a time of 19:02.
“Andy ran a great race for the first race of the season,” head coach Bethany Carlson said.
Michael Kirkpatrick picked up the final medal for the boys’ team, taking 18th with a time of 20:11.
“The surprise of the day was Michael Kirkpatrick,” Carlson said.
The sophomore cut nearly five minutes off his opening-race time a year ago. Carlson said he ran a lot during the summer.
“All that hard work has paid off tremendously for him,” she said.
Philip Gu (38th) and Max Wagner (48th) finished as the fifth and sixth MHS runners in their first meets.
Derek Stuchlik was the final Warrior varsity competitor, running for the ill Brandon Meierhoff.
Stuchlik, a sophomore, beat his personal best by nearly three minutes, with a time of 24:06.
The girls only had six runners in the race due to injuries to Anna Laurin and Danae Edwards.
Five of the six earned medals by placing in the top-30.
Senior Camille Christensen once again led the squad, this time with a 14th-place finish in the two-mile.
Her time of 16:53, was almost a minute faster than Jaclyn DeForest who took 17th.
Amanda Richmond was next for Marion at 21st, Bridget Lundy was 25th, and Taylor Harms 26th.
Jessie Taylor was the final MHS girls’ runner at 33rd.
Harms and Taylor were competing in their first varsity races.
DeForest set a personal record with her time of 17:50.
Richmond was battling a fever during the race, and unfortunately as Carlson suspected, injuries and illness hurt the team in the first week.
She was glad to see the younger runners stepping up and performing well in the first meets.
“I was excited about their efforts,” Carlson said.
As a team the boys finished second behind Southeast of Saline, and the girls took fifth.
The Warriors hit the course again Thursday at Hesston.