Staff writer
Jordan Hett won his first race of the season Thursday, and top-10 finishes by three teammates propelled the Marion High School cross-country team to the championship of the Halstead Invitational meet.
Hett dominated the boys’ 5-kilometer race. He crossed the finish line in 17 minutes, 31 seconds, nearly a minute ahead of the rest of the 19-team field.
But it was the performances of Patrick McCarty, Timothy Knolla, and Jacob Cope that secured the team’s first-place finish. McCarty placed fifth in a time of 18:41, and Knolla edged Cope for seventh place, finishing in 18:52. Cope ran an 18:53 for eighth.
Jarred Hague ran 22:37 and placed 51st. Quinton Hett finished 55th with a time of 24:27. Nicholas Davies ran in the junior varsity division and placed 52nd with a time of 25:57.
“We had a perfect day for running and everyone ran well,” coach Rebecca Hofer said. “Jacob got a 2012 personal record, and Timothy and Nicholas received overall personal records.”
McKenzee Remmers placed 14th for the Lady Warriors, covering the 4-kilometer distance in 17:48. Kaelyn Thierolf ran 18:13 to finish 18th, and Erin Meierhoff came in 39th with a time of 20:03. Shyla Harris finished fifth in the junior varsity division with a time of 20:44.