Runners reach new heights

By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

Marion cross-country made the most of its opportunity last week in Eureka with a third-place team finish.

Gavin Wasmuth’s 19:31.8 finish good enough for sixth place. He was followed by Tristan Dye in 20:39.9 and Christopher Beery in 20:59.1. Cooper Bailey crossed the line at 23:01.9, and Hayden Mendoza rounded out the group at 25:37.9.

Hillsboro freshman Levi Allen led the charge for the Trojans at Sterling with a time of 17:44.4 that landed him in 12th place. Tristan Reed was next in 18:23.3, followed by Caleb Diener in 20:07.1 and Carson Linnens at 20:57.3. Noah Bartel filled out the Trojans’ ranks at 25:09, with the team finishing seventh of 12 teams.

Emersyn Funk’s time of 21:26.1 earned her sixth place in the girls race, with Moriah Jost coming in at 22:04, Ainsley Duell soon after at 22:44.3, and Trudy Hein in 27:26.6.

Goessel’s top finishers Thursday at Burrton were Jacob and Timothy Schrag, who rounded out the race’s top 10. Jacob came in at 20:10, with Timothy at 20:42. Dawson Duerkson finished in 21:10, followed by Ben Olsen at 21:34, Patrick Rust at 22:16, David Sawyer at 22:26, and Javin Schmidt at 25:54.

Goessel girls also had two top-10 finishers, with Cheyenne Sawyer’s 28:01 good for eighth place and Cassandra Rust placing 10th in 28:23. Braylyn Hoopes finished in 29:53, followed by Alyssa Boden at 32:14.

Tyler Nickel was Centre’s only runner in the Burrton boys race, finishing with a time of 22:15. Mariah Brasch came in at 33:58 for the girls, with Michelle Brasch rounding out the team at 37:35.