Mahomet-Seymour Cross Country competes in Cowchip Classic
By Fred Kroner
Mahomet-Seymour runners secured two top-five finishes on Friday (Sept. 2) in the eighth-grade boys’ race in the non-scored Chrisman Cowchip Classic.
Tate Bode placed third, running the hilly 2-mile course in 11 minutes and 28.4 seconds. Cody Moen placed fourth (11:32.1).
Other Bulldogs in the 79-runner race were Jack Van Hoorn (11th in 12:37.9), Liam Noonan (18th in 12:55.2) and Jackson Koontz (32nd in 13:49.5).
In the seventh-grade race for boys, three Bulldogs captured spots in the top 10.
Noah Crane was fourth (11 minutes and 50.9 seconds), followed by Adam Smigelski (fifth in 12:21.1) and Tayten Gergen (seventh in 12:21.1).
Rounding out the M-S lineup in the 80-runner field were Dominic Gaudio (19th in 13:05.5) and Carter Alderks (23rd in 13:39.1).
The Bulldog sixth-grade boys also fared well.
Grant Morphew was the runner-up (12 minutes and 32.6 seconds).
Other team leaders in the 83-runner field were: Will Bednar (eighth in 13:16.4), Caleb Zulauf (ninth in 13:24.3), Caleb Atteberry (10th in 13:32.3) and Greyson Grotelueschen (19th in 14:15.8).
M-S dominated the open race, placing nine runners among the first 10 finishers.
Race champion Jamison Griffen was the first of seven consecutive M-S athletes to enter the finish chute.
He was timed in 13 minutes and 26 seconds.
He was followed by Kip Fan (second), Liam Burwell (third), Cade Smith (fourth), Dominic Burns (fifth), Izaiah Brotherton (sixth), Elliott Smith (seventh), Adam Varga (ninth) and Jake McCoy (10th).
There were 128 runners in the open race.
“Tonight’s pre-race speech focused on heart,” M-S coach Lisa Martin said. “The coaches asked the athletes to take a look at the Bulldog emblem that adorns the front of the jersey; a bulldog that is placed over the heart of the runner.
“We asked the athletes to make this the focus. As our brains often dictate what we can and can’t do, it is the heart that has to persevere when it feels like we have found our peak performance mode in a race. The Bulldogs found that heart.”
In all, 40 teams had entries at the Cowchip Classic.
M-S returns to action on Saturday (Sept. 10) at the Parkside Invitational, in Normal.
Mahomet-Seymour Junior High Girls’ Cross-Country
Mahomet-Seymour runners made their presence felt on Friday (Sept. 2) in the Chrisman Cowchip Classic.
The meet was a non-scored race. Schools could enter five runners in the eighth-, seventh- and sixth-grade races, with all other squad members eligible to compete in the open race.
In the 65-runner eighth-grade race, M-S’ Taylor Mills placed second, finishing the 2-mile course in 12 minutes and 14.6 seconds.
Rounding out the eighth-grade lineup were Anniston Huff (third in 12:27.7), Ava Watkins (10th in 13:16.3), Jaci Kellenberger (18th in 14:10.0) and Emma Busch (20th in 14:13.9).
In the 78-runner seventh-grade race, Kennedy Ashby was seventh (13:55.7), followed by Cecily Smith (eighth in 14:02.2), Finley Smith (10th in 14:16.9), Lilly Meyer (24th in 15:21.0) and Ruby Anderson (46th in 17:24.8).
In the 77-runner sixth-grade race, Norelle Eilts led the Bulldogs, placing eighth in 14:49.0.
Trailing her were Ava Cvengros (ninth in 14:51.3), Phoebe Graham (10th in 14:58.1), Emma Dewitt (13th in 15:07.6) and Yuna Kim (16th in 15:43.7).
M-S had a perfect race in the 120-runner open division, capturing every spot in the top 10, led by individual winner Claire Waggoner, who was timed in 14 minutes and 17 seconds.
Coming in behind her were Erika Johnson (second), Hannah Martin (third), Evie Hillard (fourth), Zoey Wallace (fifth), Alyssa Gray (sixth), Emily Ramirez (seventh), Kebe Kellenberger (eighth), Brooke Thurman (ninth) and Laura Ehrnthaller (10th).
“This race is full of so much tradition and history,” M-S coach Lisa Martin said. “We have athletes that have parents who have run in this meet.
“I have also had the luxury of racing this course a few times, too. So, stepping into the cow pasture is an experience that doesn’t quickly leave the memory bank.”
The coach shared some thoughts about the course before the race.
“Before getting back on the bus, the driver did a quick shoe check,” Martin added. “Thankful to say that our athletes dodged the cow patties and were allowed to ride the bus home.
“My favorite quote of the meet came from our sixth-graders: ‘Coach, the tips on the hills you all gave us actually worked!’
“Ah, our young runners are so excited to learn the aspects that make good runners even better.”
M-S returns to action on Saturday (Sept. 10) at the Parkside Invitational, in Normal.
