TAYLOR U. INVITE

Kokomo Tribune - Monday, August 31, 2020

BY TRIBUNE STAFF REPORTS

Western took third place behind No. 22-ranked Northview and No. 9 Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran. Northview had an impressive score of 27, Concordia had 44 and Western had 83.

“It was good to see some high-level competition,” Western coach Gary Jewell said. “We were excited to see how we stack up against two of the better teams in the state and I think we acquitted ourselves well.”

The meet had 15 complete teams and three incomplete squads. Maconaquah was 15th and Tipton was incomplete.

Concordia’s Karsten Schlegel was the individual winner. He clocked 16:10. Western’s Brayden Curnutt was third in 16:33.

“Brayden ran a great race. The only guy running faster than him over the last mile was Schlegel,” Jewell said.

Also scoring for the Panthers were: Joseph Packard (11th, 17:05); Pete Bradshw (12th, 17:13); Drew Caldwell (28th, 18:03); and Taylor Rathbun (35th, 18:13). Western was without normal No. 5 runner Matthew Edison, who was taking the ACT.

“We did a phenomenal job moving through the field. Our top five runners gained 60 places between them mile mark and the finish. Rathbun accounted for 21 of those,” he said.

Jewell said Bradshaw had a 33-second improvement over last week and a 14-second PR. He said Curnutt and Rathbun also had personal-best times.

Maconaquah’s top runner was Isaiah Wittenberg (37th, 18:26). Tipton’s top runner was Evan Long (14th, 17:19).