Cardinals run fourth in first meet of year
ALTOONA — The Newton girls cross country team opened its 2008 season with a fourth-place finish at the Southeast Polk Invitational Tuesday evening. According to NHS coach Mike Castings, there were 11 full and partial teams and 180 runners. Sophomore Abby Reed led the Cardinals with a 10th place finish, while senior Amy Vos took 12th. Other scorers for Newton included sophomore Katie Ranard in 23rd, freshman Sarah Penning in 26th and Kara Brown in 45th. Castings said freshman Mariah Doland and sophomore Allie Sheets also earned varsity spots. “I was very pleased at the way the girls came prepared to run and competed very well,” Castings said. “It was great to see Abby get her season off to a good start. She ran with a smooth confidence. The race gave her a chance to see what times some of the top runners in the conference are racing.” Castings added that he was proud of his top two seniors for where they finished and how they ran. “Amy and Kara provided a solid lift for the team,” Castings said. “I always tell the team that the key to success is not just the top racer but in the middle runners. Amy ran a top-quality race. However, it was Kara pushing herself at the end that helped us to edge conference rival Knoxville.” Waukee won the meet with 48 points as Collete Gnade took second overall. Pella placed second behind Madison Davis’ third-place finish, while Indianola was third. The Cardinal girls will run at Grinnell Tuesday before running at Johnston Thursday, Sept. 11.
NCMP swimmers come up short at Dowling Newton senior Caitlyn Meyer won the 50-yard freestyle and Colfax-Mingo freshman Ellen Colville won the 200-yard Individual Medley and set a new school record, but the Newton-Colfax-Mingo-Pella Aquagirls swim team fell short of knocking off West Des Moines Dowling Catholic on Tuesday, falling 114-72. “We trained and prepared and went out and gave it our all,” NCMP coach Sarah Patterson said. “We didn’t come away with wins, but I couldn’t be happier with the season start. We knew we would be underdogs, but we sure gave them a fight — and we kept fighting until the last relay.” Meyer’s time in the 50 freestyle was 26.31, and the senior also took second in the 100 backstroke. Colville hit the wall in the IM in 2:20.67, beating her top opponent by 12 seconds, and also grabbed second in the 500 freestyle. “She’s been fun to watch and fun to coach, so it was great to finally see her in action,” Patterson said of Colville. Three different relay teams also gained second-place finishes on the night. The 200 medley relay team of Meyer, Michelle Rabedeaux, Stephanie Griffith and Colville finished in 2:01.27. The 200 freestyle relay team of Lindsey Hook, Morgan Daniels, Ashley Koons and Griffith and the 400 freestyle relay team of Colville, Rabedeaux, Griffith and Meyer also took second. Other second-place finishes included Jeanann Dougan in diving and Griffith in the 100 butterfly. Megan Sinwell took third in diving, Rabedeaux grabbed third in a very tight 100-yard freestyle race, Daniels scored a third-place finish in the 200 freestyle and Hannah Long was third in the 100 butterfly. Samantha Thomas also took third in the 100 breastroke as did the 200 medley relay team of Courtney Meyer, Thomas, Becky Miller and Hook. The team gets right back in the pool Thursday as the Aquagirls travel to Indianola.
