Bulldogs finish second at Tom Appenzeller Bulldog Invitational
By Fred Kroner
Mahomet-Seymour’s girls’ junior high cross-country team ran a strong second on Saturday (Sept 16) in the 15-school Tom Appenzeller Bulldog Invitational at Lake of the Woods.
Shelbyville was the meet champion in the varsity division with 51 points. M-S (69 points) was next, followed by Normal Metcalf (145), Bloomington Evans (172) and Tolono Unity (174).
In the 99-runner individual race, Paige Jansen was the first M-S finisher. Her time of 13 minutes and 6 seconds had her in ninth place.
Teammates trailing her were Cecily Smith (11th in 13:07.1), Ava Cvengros (13th in 13:12.3), Finley Smith (15th in 13:18.9), Ashley Martin (21st in 13:37.4), Kennedy Ashby (24th in 13:41.4) and Chandler Mills (25th in 13:43.3).
In the girls’ junior varsity race, the Bulldogs dominated the 10-school meet, compiling a team composite of 27 points to outdistance runner-up Normal Metcalf (68), Monticello (108), Tolono Unity (117) and Normal Kingsley (156).
Six of the top 10 placers in the 95-runner field were from M-S.
Phoebe Graham was the team leader, running third in 13:47.7.
Teammates trailing her included Emma Dewitt (fourth in 13:58.0), Roya Beere (fifth in 14:18.1), Yuna Kim (sixth in 14:24.3), Cicely Brokish (ninth in 14:32.0), Rilynn Nelson (10th in 14:32.8), Jane Hartman (11th in 14:40.0), Kennedy Wallace (20th in 15:08.9), Kaitlyn Waisath (21st in 15:12.8) and Brooke Alderks (22nd in 5:13.7).
In the 82-runner girls’ open race, Bulldogs Brooke Patrick (14:16) and Emerson Grindley (15:01) were first and second, respectively.
Ten of their teammates wound up among the top 16 finishers, including Jilyan Clark (fourth in 15:28), Paige Pruitt (fifth in 15:30), Ruby Anderson (sixth in 15:35), Mia Saba (eighth in 15:42), Laura Ehrnthraller (ninth in 15:53), McKenna Hayes (10th in 16:06), Genevieve McMurry (11th in 16:07), Riley Jackson (12th in 16:14), Emily Christensen (13th in 16:16) and Kebe Kellenberger (16th in 16:27).
On Thursday (Sept. 14), Mahomet-Seymour’s junior high girls’ cross-country squad posted a team victory in a six-school meet at Lake of the Woods.
The Bulldogs’ cumulative team score was 27 points. Runner-up St. Joseph had 43 points and was followed by Mount Zion (59), Holy Cross (130) and SMART Academy (155).
Ten of the top 22 runners in a field of 118 competitors were from M-S, led by Jansen, the runner-up in 13:23. Third-place Cecily Smith was also timed in 13:23.
Other team leaders were Cvengros (fifth in 13:26), Finley Smith (sixth in 13:27), Mills (11th in 13:47), Dewitt (13th in 14:09), Ashby (15th in 14:11), Martin (16th in 14:13), Beere (18th in 14:16) and Nelson (22nd in 14:39.
“I was visiting with a sixth-grader, Roya Beere, after the race,” M-S coach Lisa Martin said. “She summed up cross-country very well with her quote after I noted how hard cross-country is.
“She said that it ‘feels good when it is done.’ I couldn’t agree more. I remember feeling the same way as an athlete. Just looking around the park, there were a lot of smiles and a lot of great memories made, many outside of the race. New friendships forming and a lot of laughs.
“Another great quote from a sixth-grade runner was shared with me by one of our coaches, ‘I couldn’t have done it without my teammate, she encourages me and makes me run faster.’
“Well, that is how cross-country becomes a team sport. Well said, young runner.”
M-S will return to action on Thursday (Sept. 21) in a junior varsity meet at Clinton and then on Friday (Sept. 22) in the Dunlap Invitational varsity meet at Detweiller Park, in Peoria.
