HUXLEY — The golf course at Huxley Monday, September 11, held more people than many Iowa towns. That was the site of Ballard High School’s annual cross country meet with 465 junior varsity runners on the course prior to 285 varsity runners being turned loose. A couple hundred middle school racers, in addition to hundreds of parents and other fans, pushed the 18-hole course’s population into the range of several county seat communities in Iowa.
A win for the girls
Solon’s girls entered the week ranked seventh in the Class 3A Iowa coaches’ cross-country poll. Solon’s boys got the nod at ninth. Their performances kept close to those projections. The Lady Spartans won the girls’ race, with 56 points, bettering Des Moines Christian (73), Atlantic (92) and then Madrid (99), coached by Solon alum Kelley (Wilkinson) Grothus. Roland-Story (123) was fifth. Next through were IFA-AGWSR’s runners (149). From there it was Woodward-Granger (179), Humboldt (189) and Nevada (203).
Woodward-Granger’s Eva Fletchner’s 19:46 over the five-kilometer course was the individual time to beat in Class ‘B.’ Pushing her was Solon junior Sydney Dee (20:48) in third place. Freshman Ava Rolwes (21:08) was tenth in the 66-girl field. Senior Anna Quillin (21:10) was a slot behind with freshman Falyn Svalstad 13th (21:26), senior Gracie Federspiel (21:47) 16th, and junior Rose McAtee (21:52) crossing 17th as Solon’s five scoring runners locked in the team title.
Boys take second
Minutes later, the Class B boys answered the starter’s gun, making tracks across the wide golf course, small lake and backside fingers of timber. With Solon’s Brick Kabela at the front of the pack (in 16:29), the Spartans finished second (52 points) as a team behind Des Moines Christian (32). Their split kept them ahead of Nevada (72), Atlantic (121), Madrid (121), Nodaway Valley (188), Eagle Grove (203), Roland Story (204), Humboldt (226) and Woodward-Granger (288). Backing Kabela were teammates Michael Yeomans (17:39) 10th, Collin Bumsted (17:54) 11th, Lawson Sinwell (18:55) 13th, and Spencer Michaels (18:19) 17th for 52 team points and a runner-up finish among the ten boys’ teams on the course.
Upcoming events
Following their September 18 home meet, the Spartans’ and Lady Spartans’ cross country calendar lands them at Anamosa (Anamosa Middle School) Saturday September 23 (9:00 a.m. start).