TROY MILLS — Over three miles on the course. Just a second of separation. That was the gap between North Linn’s Meghan Wheatley and Solon distance ace Kayla Young at the finish line Saturday, to cap the North Linn girls cross country invitational.
The two went virtually head to head the entire way through the two lap course around the North Linn campus, practice fields (adjacent to cornfields for a quarter mile) and finally down the stretch of North Linn’s stadium track. Wheatley squeezed ahead a couple strides in the last 150 meters, legging through the chute at 18:44. Young was at 18:45.
Young and her teammates still snagged the team title, however. Freshman Sydney Dee was eighth (20:14) in the overall field of 85 girls. Senior Mary Fiala was 12th (20:19), with juniors Gracie Federspiel 11th (20:30) and Ashlyn Williams 21st (20:48) to bring the third rated Class 3A Lady Spartans across with 57 points. Williamsburg (No.5 in 2A) was oh-so-close with 60 points for second place in that field of 15 schools. Seven of them were ‘state ranked,’ during one of the most competitive weekends across Iowa. Mara Duster was 36th in the varsity field (21:15) with Ella Sheeley 41st (21:27).
“Williamsburg really pushed us today with a great race,” said Solon head coach Emy Williams. “We really talk about now, how the rest of their meets, how WAMAC Conference, the state qualifying meet, are now about competing. It is more than just ‘times.’”
Behind Solon and Williamsburg came Washington (76 points), 2A’s No.6-ranked Tipton (87), and No.7 (in 1A) Hudson (137). Then came host North Linn, (162) 6th ranked in 1A, followed by No. 13 (1A) Iowa City Regina (178) with No. 8 (3A) Marion (186). From there, Grundy Center/Reinbeck (272), Vinton-Shellsburg (329) and Benton Community (329) wrapped up the field.
“Our top five girls had an okay race. Ashlyn (Williams)’s times have been dropping every meet. We’re finally getting her healthy. We’ll continue to try to get everybody healthy,” said Williams.
And, with a look to the future, Solon’s JV pushed all five scoring runners into the top 20, notching third place. Sophia Stahle’s fourth place finish (21:37) was tops for the Lady Spartans. Mia Duckett was sixth (21:42), with Kate Richards 15th (22:23), Delaney DeWild 17th, (22:39) and Grace Fiala 20th (23:01) in the field of 90.
From here, it is ‘post season.’ Solon goes to the WaMaC meet Thursday followed a week later by the state qualifier in Independence and the prospect of a berth at the 3A October 29 State Meet in Fort Dodge.
Nearly shoulder to shoulder through the five kilometer course, North Linn’s Morgan Wheatley leans a couple strides ahead of Solon’s Kayla Young at the finish line Saturday, October 8 at the North Linn Invitational. Young’s runner-up finish led the Lady Spartans to a team championship at the North Linn course.