MACONAQUAH INVITE

Kokomo Tribune - Sunday, September 15, 2018

Eastbrook won the 18-team gathering with a score of 58. Western was second at 76 and Hamilton Heights third at 124. Eastern was sixth (207), Cass seventh (215), Northwestern 10th (234), Tipton 11th (243), Maconaquah 13th (279), Peru 14th (288), and Kokomo 15th (352). Taylor was incomplete.

Brayden Curnutt took fourth in 16:58 to lead Western. Joseph Packard was eighth (17:25), Pete Bradshaw 15th (17:57), Taylor Rathbun 24th (18:29) and Zac Cline 27th (18:36).

“Brayden ran a great race. It’s the first time he’s ever broken 17 minutes,” Western coach Gary Jewell said. “A week ago he sprained his ankle in gym class. After missing the entire summer [with a different injury] it’s almost like he hasn’t missed a beat. Zac Cline, our fifth man [Saturday] ran a pretty good personal best as well, and one of our other guys that did pretty well, Joseph Packard … he’s got a small nagging injury that he’s trying to overcome, he broke into the top 10, which is great.”

Isaiah Kanable led Northwestern, taking 23rd in 18:27. He was followed by Caleb Champion (36th, 19:01), Caden Lechner (44th, 19:15), Jace Cournoyer (58th, 19:46), and Gunnar LaSure (80th, 20:40).

“Eleven of my 12 guys who ran set PRs or season bests or course bests,” NW coach Dave Stevens said. “All five of my freshmen set PRs.

“Isaiah led us up front, but as a team, I couldn’t have asked for a better day. They all went for it. I know 10th sounds like a way down but we are such a young team. The way they all performed made me really happy.”

Brayden Richmond led Eastern in fifth in a time of 17:01. Caleb Vogl was 14th (17:51), Owen Taylor 47th (19:21), Porter Brovont 73rd (20:20, and T.J. Weeks 75th (20:30).

“Really excited for the guys – all nine of them PRd,” Eastern coach Ben Cox said. “”They all ran a really determined race. They competed really well.”

Kolson Silcox led Maconaquah with a 40th-place finish in 19:08.5, followed by Dalton Farnell (46th, 19:18.1), Logan Farnell (64th, 20:03.3), Feenix Kile (65th, 20:06.3) and Blake Kinney (70th, 20:13.6). Six Braves had personal bests.

“The guys ran great [Saturday] at the Mac Invite,” Maconaquah coach Chris Edgington said. “Silcox had a breakthrough as he stepped up to lead the team in Sam Bourne’s absence with a personal record by 46 seconds.”

Taylor’s Konner Boley had a 16th-place finish in 17:58, and Tyler Pyle ran in 23:47 for 130th place.

Western won the 18-team invite with a score of 76. Maconaquah was second (89), Cass fifth (126), Eastern seventh (175), Northwestern eighth (219), Tipton 10th (237), Kokomo 11th (239) and Peru and Taylor were incomplete.

Olivia Lushin paced the winners, taking eighth in 21:06, followed by Hannah Lushin (12th, 21:33), Sarah Manuel (14th, 21:39), Alivia Ford (18th, 22:03) and Kourtney Lechner (24th, 22:39).

“We were not really expecting to do well. We’ve been very sick,” Western coach Ray Tetrault said. “We kind of had an easy week a little bit to get recovered. The girls were just outstanding. The girls ran very well as a pack, so if you noticed the times, that’s a pretty close grouping between them all, especially the first four.

“Maconaquah, their first three girls beat our first three girls but our four and five, they just ran faster than their four and five and that’s really the difference in the score.”

Ella Kantz led Eastern in 13th (21:37), Victoria Leeder was 19th (22:08), Emily Slaughter 33rd (23:14), Claire Hubbard 57th (24:49) and Gracie McClain 63rd (25:05).

“It was an exciting race for everybody,” Eastern coach Ben Cox said. “Six of the eight girls either set PRs or season bests and looked really strong through their races, really determined to go after their goals and reach them.”

Lauren Longshore led the Purple Tigers, taking fourth in 20:33. Ella Deck was 22nd (22:28), Katelyn Saul 54th (24:44), Kaylynne Fernandes 83rd (26:22), and Adri Freeman 89th (27:21).

“Eight of the nine girls [who] ran either set a personal best, a season best or a course best,” NW coach Dave Stevens said. “We were a little shorthanded. Our three foreign exchange students were all in Washington, D.C., at the same time. I was really proud of the other girls for stepping up and pushing as hard as they could to get us the eighth place.”

The Wildkats were led by Julynne Spidell with a second-place finish in 19:46. Jaylee Copeland came in 26th (22:44). Kaileigh Jones was 76th (25:51), and Emma Nelson came in 85th (26:34).

“Overall, I was pleased with the way that our girls ran with four of our seven varsity girls running well,” Kokomo coach Chad Salinas said. “We really missed having our number three runner, Gadea Castano, for this meet.”

Taylor’s Sierra Fritsch was 67th (25:19). Carly Brewster came in 97th (28:05), and Chloe McKay ran in a season-best 31:05 for 110th place.