Mahomet-Seymour boys’ cross country captures team honors at Charleston Invitational
By FRED KRONER
Mahomet-Seymour’s boys’ cross-country team opened its season on Saturday (Sept. 5) by capturing team honors in the 13-school Charleston Invitational.
M-S prevailed in a tight three-way battle for team supremacy.
The Bulldogs’ score was 50. Following M-S were Olney (57), St. Joseph-Ogden (60) and Mattoon (102).
M-S placed three of its varsity runners among the top 10 individually in a meet where 98 athletes completed the course.
Juniors Kyle Nofziger and Taylor Fan set the team’s pace. Nofziger was third overall, running the 3-mile course in 15 minutes, 57.52 seconds. He was 11 seconds behind the meet champion.
Fan was fourth overall. He was timed in 16:44.58.
Sophomore Hayden Grotelueschen was 10th in 17:06.87.
Rounding out the lineup for the first meet were John Tender (15th in 17:20.03), Jonah Singer (18th in 17:22.25), Ben Wallace (23rd in 17:36.67) and Joe Taylor (30th in 17:50.02).
The Bulldogs’ dominance carried over into the open race where the top five runners were from M-S.
Gage Williams (19:23.71) outstepped Matthew Sims (19:23.96). Gabe Difanis was third in 19:33.04. Other team leaders were Caleb Dowers (fourth in 19:38.88), Finn Randolph (fifth in 20:16.01) and Avery Seaman (10th in 21:32.07).
M-S returns to action on Saturday (Sept. 26) at St. Joseph-Ogden in a meet that also includes Monticello and Tolono Unity.
