CMB’s Deutsch gets redemption in state meet encore

FORT DODGE — As a junior, Collins-Maxwell/Baxter’s Mark Deutsch admittedly didn’t know what he was doing at the Iowa High School State Cross Country Championships.

He even said he may have been a little scared and a little caught up in the moment of running on the state’s biggest stage.

But when he got the chance to redeem himself as a senior on a cold and windy Saturday, Deutsch took full advantage at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course.

Deutsch finished 85th with a time of 18 minutes, 14 seconds a year ago but improved his position 54 spots and hit the line 49 seconds faster in his final race as a high school cross country runner during the boys Class 2A portion of the state meet.

"It wasn't an incredible race by any means, but a solid race that I can finish my career with," said Deutsch, who came in ranked 15th. "I got to run against all these guys and it was a good race.
"I couldn't have ask for much more. I put in a lot of hard work this summer and this season and I am happy. It was a real solid year."

And besides finishing in a better position and running a faster time, Deutsch also got to experience the state’s top meet with his teammate, Colin Thomson, who finished 53rd in his first-ever run at state.

“It made things a lot easier. I had someone to go warm-up with, I had someone to go stretch with and I had someone to do run offs with. It just felt like I wasn’t all alone out there,” said Deutsch of having Thomson there with him.

CMB coach Jerry Meinarts was pleased with both Deutsch and Thomson on Saturday.
Meinarts thought his top runner may have gotten out a bit too fast, but hitting the line about 50 seconds faster than last year was a great feat.

“He is very competitive and he wanted to be in the 10-15 spot,” said Meinarts. “He got out fast with those guys. He said he got a little tight there about halfway through the race.

“He has had a great season and this time was really good for him. He competed well and got a little redemption from last year.”

Thomson ran his second fastest time of the season and even though he probably didn’t finish in the position that he wanted, Meinarts said he competed hard against the state’s top runners.

“For the first time here, he ran really well and competed hard. I think he got stuck in some traffic about a mile in,” Meinarts said. “He struggled to get around guys who were slower.”

Also running in the Class 2A boys’ race was Prairie City-Monroe freshman Blaise Winegardner.

The 19th ranked Mustang came in with a steep goal of finishing around 16:40, but after the race was over, Winegardner was able to put his first-time experience at the state meet into perspective.

“It was good trying to run up with those older guys and seeing how it felt,” said Winegardner, who finished two positions behind Deutsch in 33rd. “There was a little bit more hills than I expected.

“I came in a little shy of my goal, but it’s all right for my first year.”

Tipton’s Eric Lenz, who is ranked No. 1, won the 2A boys’ race in 16:09, while third-ranked Chase Smith of Garner-Hayfield/Ventura was second in 16:18.

Class 2A girls

Running in her first-ever state meet, PCM senior Rachel Peter finally put together a solid finish to her cross country season.

The Mustang harrier came in ranked 30th and finished in 42nd with a time of 16:36.

But even though it wasn’t her best race, Peter still came away with an amazing experience to cap her senior season.

“It’s cool to be competing here,” Peter said. “I have worked hard the past four years. I have always made it in track but always had a terrible year in cross country.

“To actually be able to make it my senior year was awesome.”

Fifth-ranked Paige Holub of Monticello won the individual title with a time of 14:59. Holub bested third-ranked Becca McDermott of Cascade by 4 seconds.

Fourth-ranked Cascade (92 points) put three runners in the first seven positions, but second-ranked Monticello (63) had more depth in winning the team title by 29 points.

Class 1A boys

Lynnville-Sully’s Canyon Kuhlmann was happy with his performance at the state meet, but also admitted he could have probably ran a little harder.

Competing at state for the second consecutive year, Kuhlmann came away with a 51st place finish with a time of 17:59.

“I feel like I could have pushed myself a little more. It was one of my best times, but I thought I could have been better,” Kuhlmann said.

“It felt like it was more hillier than I remember. I am pleased, but it was tough race and the cold didn’t help.”

Kuhlmann finished 49th as a sophomore but will get one more year to improve on both of those positions in 2015.

“To make it two years in a row and to have another year to get back here is great,” said Lynnville-Sully coach Darin Arkema. “There will be no let up from him. I know that he will be out there working hard during track season and over the summer.”

Arkema said his junior standout put himself in good position early in the race, but the cold, windy conditions may have played a factor in the end result.

“I think one year to the next, weather conditions are always going to be different,” said Arkema. “He could show up here tomorrow and run it completely different.

“I thought he raced his game plan and at two miles, was in good position. The finish is a little longer than it seems though.”

West Fork’s Peyton Twedt capped his final season with an individual state championship as he crossed the line in 16:24.

Twedt, last year’s 1A runner-up who came into Saturday ranked 27th, edged second-ranked Ryan Izer of Turkey Valley by .8 seconds. Top-ranked Andrew Meyer of Bellevue was third in 16:35.

Contact Troy Hyde at
641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or at thyde@newtondailynews.com.