MACONAQUAH INVITE

Kokomo Tribune - Sunday, September 10, 2017

BY TRIBUNE STAFF REPORTS

A host of local cross country squads competed in the Maconaquah Invitational Saturday with Twin Lakes winning the girls race and Lapel winning the boys race.

Full results were not available for each team due to scoring problems at the meet. Scores were updated later Saturday with new team standings. Not all schools reporting their runners had the same sets of team results or the up-to-date individual order.

GIRLS RACE

Twin Lakes scored 52 to top the field of a dozen complete teams. Maconaquah was third (88), Western fourth (106), Cass fifth (135), Delta sixth (139), Northwestern seventh (184), Eastern ninth (219), Tipton 10th (258), Kokomo 12th (340) and Taylor was incomplete.

Olivia Lushin led Western, taking 11th in 20:50. Hannah Lushin was 18th (21:25) and Megan Hampshire 20th in 21:31. Also for Western, Alivia Ford finished in 22:27 and Logan Buck in 22:39.

"It was nice to have Hannah back where she belongs," Western coach Joni Neer said. "We've been really battling some sickness this year and she's one of three that have been out. It was good to see her back in the lineup and being able to race how she's capable of racing. Olivia keeps having some outstanding races."

For Northwestern, Lauren Longshore finished ninth in 20:36 and Casey Lechner was 14th in 21:09.

"Once again, Lauren and Casey leading us at the top, very good efforts for them," NW coach Dave Stevens said. "I thought they ran hard and competed well with the competition and the rest of my girls also competed well."

Ella Kantz led the Comets, finishing 23rd with a time of 21:52. Also running for the Comets were Molly Hapner (23:13), Katrina Witt (23:16), Victoria Leeder (23:28) and Olivia Vogl (24:46).

"We're trying to do some repeat race strategy that worked well last week and it didn't go as well [Saturday] but they're still trying," Eastern coach Ben Cox said. "We're going to keep at it and hopefully it pays off even more down the road."

Taylor Walden led Kokomo with a season-best time of 23:15.

"Taylor has had a rough few weeks of being sick and injured; it was nice to see her run tough and compete in her first meet back in the last two weeks," Kokomo coach Chad Salinas said. "Junior Tyasia Burks had a breakout race in 26:14, cutting 2:32 seconds off her season best. I was pleased to see four of our six runners setting a season-best time in this meet."

For Peru, Jaelin Richardson led the Bengals in 21:14. Also contributing for Peru, Mya Lancaster finished in a best-ever 23:07, followed by Sadie Carter (23:50) and Jazzmyan Bayless (24:02). The Bengals did not have a complete team.

"All the girls ran extremely well," Peru coach Mike Herrell said. "We have transitioned in our training, thus they ran with heavy, tired legs. Mya still PRd."

BOYS RACE

Lapel posted a score of 45 to win the boys meet, which consisted of 16 full teams. Kokomo was fifth with 156, Maconaquah sixth with 164, Eastern eighth with 221, Northwestern 14th with 317 and Western 16th with 339.

Cory Dea led the Wildkats in 17:59. Also for the Kats were Justin Taflinger (18:28), Julian Wallace (18:33), Alex Ward (18:48) and Noah Gallaher (20:20).

For Eastern, Caleb Vogl finished in 18:36, followed by Josh Reprogle (19:08), Jack Johnson (19:13), Toscha Tränkmann (19:19) and Seth Snyder (19:37).

"We've been working really hard on kind of running in a group and we were not quite as together as last week but they were still making the effort which was nice," Cox said. "Hopefully their work's going to pay off."

Jacob Myers led Northwestern in 18:43, followed by Jace Cournoyer (19:55), Mason Correll (20:15), Nick Jozwiak (20:55) and Mitchell Harrell (20:56).

"All four of my guys who ran last year on this course set personal bests by a minute and a half, or better in some cases," Stevens said. "And my four new runners all set PRs. I was really happy with the way the guys ran."

Brayden Curnutt led Western in 18:35, followed by Ethan Lutgen (20:21), Trey Shock (20:28), Joseph Packard (21:21) and Zac Cline (22:01).The Panthers were without four of their top five runners with two out due to illness and two taking the ACT.

"Brayden had a good race. He's a freshman, this is only his second year to run cross country. He was the highest-placing freshman in the meet," Western coach Gary Jewell said.