CMB girls claim runner-up trophy at Nevada

NEVADA — The Collins-Maxwell/Baxter girls’ cross country team was ready to take on Class 2A No. 11 West Marshall for a third time this season and also expected a tough challenge from East Marshall on Monday at the Nevada Invitational at Hickory Grove Park.

But the Raiders were not mentally prepared to face 2A No. 8 North Polk as the Comets were dropped down to the Class B race just before the event began.

Like they have all season, the Raiders held their own and finished in second with 77 points. North Polk won the meet with 58, West Marshall was third with 84 and East Marshall placed fourth with 91. Colfax-Mingo also competed and placed 12th in the 12-team field.

“Our girls ran great tonight,” Meinerts said. “They are fierce competitors and have really done a great job being ready for anything, but it would be nice to be notified when they change our competition. It’s like heading to a basketball game against one opponent, then getting to the gym and finding out your playing someone else. That shouldn’t happen.”

CMB’s top performers were Heather Jessen and Brenna Thomson, who rounded out the top 10 in ninth and 10th, respectively. Jessen was clocked at 21 minutes, 46.47 seconds and Thomson crossed in 22:00.26.

The other three scoring runners were Lauren Ratliff in 14th, Shasta Moody in 16th and Chasity Moody in 28th. Anna Jones was 42nd overall and Stephanie Twohey crossed in 53rd.

“All of our girls have been working extremely hard in practice and have gotten so much better,” Meinerts said. “I can’t wait to have a race where our top four girls all finish in the 21s. That’s a goal to accomplish by the end of the season.”

Colfax-Mingo did not have its top runner, Dakota Hostetter, for the second straight meet. That pushed the Tigerhawks to the back of the team standings as Ilia Hostetter was the top finisher in 58th. Colleen Craig was 62nd, Payton Rhone finished 68th, Morgan McKinney placed 70th and Kylie Wellington crossed in 73rd.

“While we would like to see some better times and be more competitive as a team, I never question the effort of this group of kids,” Colfax-Mingo coach Zach Tomas said. “We are very young on both sides, and I know we are going to have some breakout performances before the end of the season.”

Colfax-Mingo will run at 5 p.m. Monday at North Polk, while CMB’s next meet is 9:30 a.m. Saturday at South Hardin.