Chris Umscheid
Falyn Svalstad leads an Oelwein Husky past flowering weeds, prairie grass, and content cows in the distance Saturday, Sept. 27 during Anamosa’s invitational meet. Svalstad led the Lady Spartans to a runner up finish with her third place showing in 19:42.9.
ANAMOSA — The north end of the Anamosa Middle School campus features prairie grass, tall weeds, and a nearby farm with cows peacefully grazing on corn stubble. Then comes another herd, this one consisting of cross country runners either settling into a pack or pushing to gain a position or more.
Saturday, Sept. 27 the herds included the Solon High School runners as junior varsity and varsity combined in the Anamosa Invitational, the second trip up Hwy. 1 for the Spartans and Lady Spartans this season.
Falyn Svalstad led the Lady Spartans to a runner up team finish behind champion Fort Madison with her third place finish in 19:42.9. Mailee Schmidt scored a top-ten finish in eighth place in 20:30.5 while Liv Nelson got a top-20 finish in 17th place in 21:58.9.
The Spartans brought home a sixth place finish behind champion Denver (62), runner up Fort Madison (67), Oelwein (73), Monticello (90), and Tipton (102) with 145 team points. Anders Holmes led with a seventh place finish in 17:23.1. Rene Meza got a top-20 finish with his 14th place showing in 17:54.0.