From top on bottom, MHS has good day on course
Sports reporter
Even with their top two runners not feeling 100 percent, Marion High School girls' and boys' cross country teams did exactly what their coach Bethany Carlson expected.
Leading up to the meet, Carlson felt the girls should win, and the boys' team should take at least second, if not first.
Despite Camille Christensen still battling a little soreness in her leg, and Ryan Jones fighting an illness all week, the runners led their teams toward the top.
The girls scored a meet low 32 points for the championship, and the boys had 48 points for second place.
"We are thrilled," Carlson said of the girls' championship day.
Christensen's 4K-time of 16 minutes, 52 seconds earned her a third-place finish out of 31 competitors.
She ran with a padded brace on one leg, and despite the constant pounding of the tough concrete on the dam during the home-stretch, the junior was thrilled with the outcome
"It was awesome coming across the bridge," she said of everyone screaming for her to finish strong.
Her time was 40 seconds faster than her last race at Peabody. But the championship could not be won with her alone, as five other racers earned medals, including two who finished in the top-10.
Amanda Richmond was the next MHS runner to finish with a time of 17:36 in eighth place.
Tacy Taylor, the lone senior running in her final home invitational, was 10th with a time of 17:56.
Jaclyn DeForest (17:57, 11th), Brooke Johnson (18:03, 13th), and Bridget Lundy (19:01, 20th), also received medals. Lucy Collett was 27th with a time of 20:33.
Lundy and Collett set personal records, while Taylor, DeForest, and Johnson continued to push each other by running close races.
Carlson said they all make each other work harder each week.
"It's has been really neat to see that one girl stepping up that has pushed the other girls on the team," she said.
Jones, who said he felt OK when the race started, was weakened during the days leading to the race after a bout with a virus. It didn't seem to matter as the sophomore was the Warriors' highest-performer of the day after running the 3.1-mile course in 18:43.
"He had another great race," Carlson said.
Louis Holt was next with a time of 19:28, good enough for sixth. Elliot Hett was 11th with a time of 20:01, Brady Hudson ran the course in 20:44 and was 17th, and Brandon Meierhoff was 19th with a time of 20:50.
Each earned medals for the Warriors.
"We were excited about our second-place finish to Peabody-Burns," Carlson said. "They are a strong team."
Corey Seacat at 39th with a time of 23:18, and Marshall Ragland (24:36, 41st), were the other varsity boys' runners.
Girls' results:
Varsity (2.4-miles)
1. Marion 32. 2. Andover-Central 44. 3. Council Grove 59. 4. Goessel 94.
Camille Christensen - 16:52, fifth.*
Amanda Richmond - 17:36, eighth.*
Tacy Taylor - 17:56, 10th.*
Jaclyn DeForest - 17:57, 11th.*
Brooke Johnson - 18:03, 13th.*
Bridget Lundy - 19:01, 20th.*#
Lucy Collett - 20:33, 27th.#
Junior varsity (2.4-miles)
Danae Edwards - 21:25, seventh.*#
Shayla Rahe - 26:21, 12th.*
Katie Maag - 27:34, 15th.*#
Middle School (8th grade two miles, 7th grade, one mile)
Jessie Taylor (eighth grade) - 16:57, ninth.
Jeneveieve Corona (seventh grade) - 9:00, ninth.
Boys' results:
Varsity (3.1-miles)
1. Peabody-Burns 28. 2. Marion 48. 3. Andover-Central 83. 4. Council Grove 108. 5. Goessel 120. 6. Herington 121. 7. Canton-Galva 169.
Ryan Jones - 18:43, third.*
Louis Holt - 19:28, sixth.*
Elliot Hett - 20:01, 11th.*#
Brady Hudson - 20:44, 17th.*
Brandon Meierhoff - 20:50, 19th.*
Corey Seacat - 23:18, 39th.
Marshall Ragland - 24:36, 41st.
Junior varsity (3.1-miles)
Michael Kirkpatrick - 25:07, sixth.*
Derek Stuchlik - 26:40, eighth.*
Adam Molleker - 26:49, ninth.*
Olle Gemfors - 28:23, 12th.*#
Middle School (8th two miles, 7th one mile)
Scott Jones (eighth) - 14:44, ninth.
Justin Rahe (eighth) - 14:50, 11th.
Nicholas Davies (seventh) - 11:08, 27th.
*Earned a medal
#Set personal record
