Turner, Marx and Mills help Bulldogs finish season with win

By Fred Kroner

Led by a 1-2-3 finish from Avah Turner, Madalyn Marx and Taylor Mills, the Bulldogs concluded the regular season on Monday (Oct. 5) by running past two other competitors at 13 Acres Field.

The M-S girls’ team ended with a team score of 19 points. Runner-up Mount Zion totaled 44 points and St. Joseph-Ogden was third with a score of 87.

Turner was timed in 12 minutes and 58 seconds for the 2-mile course. She was a step ahead of runner-up Marx (12:59) with Mills right behind (13:01).

Chloe Bundren placed fifth in 13:21.

Three other Bulldogs wound up in the top 10 and finished their races within two seconds of one another.

Hadley Grotelueschen was eighth (13:29), Haley Reed was ninth (13:30) and Isabel Lietz was 10^th (13:31).

Thirteen other squad members also participated in the 47-runner meet. Six finished in succession just outside of the top 10. They ran within 44 seconds of one another.

Reese Gallier was 11^th (13:33), Ava Jansen was 12^th (13:38), Hannah Martin was 13^th (13:55), Gabby Reeves was 14^th (14:06), Phoebe Truax was 15^th (14:11) and Ella Walk was 16^th (14:17).

Other M-S participants were Emma Frazier (18^th in 14:38), Ayla Finfrock (27^th in 14:58), McKenzie Hissong (29^th in 15:10), Ainsley Smith (30^th in 15:13), Cora Tandy (35^th in 15:24), Lindsay Gower (37^th in 15:27) and Emmaline Culp (42^nd in 16:12).

M-S returns to action in an IESA sectional which it will host at 13 Acres Park on Thursday (Oct. 15).

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On Saturday (Oct. 3), M-S swept the top five positions to create a perfect score (15) in a three-school meet at Fairview Park, in Decatur.

The M-S pacesetters were: Turner (first in 12:59), Marx (second in 13:01), Mills (third in 13:03), Bundren (fourth in 13:17) and Grotelueschen (fifth in 13:18).

“This season has presented our team with mainly flat courses, so the hills that the runners got to compete on were a welcome addition to a season where we needed a little diversity in our courses,” M-S coach Lisa Martin said.

The Bulldogs’ domination didn’t end with the top five placers. Each of the first 13 individuals to cross the finish line were wearing a Bulldog jersey.

Following the top five were: Reed (sixth in 13:19), Truax (seventh in 13:23), Jansen (eighth in 13:24.40), Gallier (ninth in 13:25.09), Lietz (10^th in 13:45), Frazier (11^th in 13:49), Reeves (12^th in 13:58) and Martin (13th in 13:59).

The squad’s other finishers were: Isabelle Difanis (17^th in 14:37), Hissong (18^th in 14:44), Camryn Nelson (19^th in 14:45), Ainsley Smith (20^th in 14:47), Gowler (22^nd in 14:58), Emma Busch (24^th in 15:09), Culp (26^th in 15:22), Poppy Smith (33^rd in 17:18), Addy Lagacy (37^th in 18:40) and Taya Barton (46^th in 23:36).

In the team chase, M-S (15) was followed by Decatur Catholic (62) and Urbana (63).

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On Friday (Oct. 2), the Bulldogs won team honors in a three-school junior varsity meet at 13 Acres Field.

The M-S leaders were Addison Jessup (second in 14 minutes and 44 seconds). She was followed by Claire Waggoner (fourth in 14:56), Adella Bird (sixth in 15:11), Zoe Wallace (eighth in 15:41) and Emily Ramirez (ninth in 15:41.5).

Four other Bulldogs ended among the top 20.

Olivia Cox was 12^th in 15:53, Peyton Shelmadine was 13^th in 15:55, Jaycee Fancher was 15^th in 15:59 and Emery Parker was 18^th in 16:09.

Meet champion M-S had a final team score of 29. Runner-up Unity had 45 and Monticello totaled 59 points.

Other Bulldog competitors were Cassia Sperry (22^nd in 16:45), Allanah Smith (23^rd in 16:46), Grace Bednar (24^th in 16:52), Ellie Zimmerman (26^th in 16:55), Megan Smith (29^th in 17:21), Brooke Rhodes (30^th in 17:26), Aubrey Hollwedel (32^nd in 17:35), Kenna Collins (33^rd in 17:35), Mollie Schifo (35^th in 18:01), Cora Ummel (36^th in 18:02), Kaylee Guth (37^th in 18:07), Aubrey Meints (40^th in 19:10), Alexya Herrera-Alvis (41^st in 19:32), Annabeth York (42^nd in 19:40) and Courtney Gowler (45^th in 25:22).

“We had a mix of veteran runners and new runners in this crowd,” M-S coach Lisa Martin said. “Coaches are thankful for the veterans that took the lead and guided the younger group during warmup and race time prep.

“(Friday) was once again full of some great race times, many personal records. These runners are still showing improvement this season, if we could only have another month with them. While we have had a lot of meets, we have had to rotate our 143 runners (between the boys and girls) into those meets.

“Some of these runners are still improving by a minute or more as they learn to race.  Others are finding that they are hitting their peak for the season – plateauing at their season-best times. For some, this was their last race.”