March 19, 2024

Cardinals improve times, places in opening meet

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AMES — Times have gone down and placings are higher for Newton High’s cross country runners in Thursday’s 2016 Gilbert Cross Country Invitational meet. The Cardinal runners — most of them — were running the Iowa State University cross country course for the first time since the Class 3A district meet last fall.

The Cardinals girls placed fourth as a team in the Class A division with 146 points. Gilbert claimed the Class A title with 32 points followed by Dallas Center-Grimes with 44 points and North Polk with 65 points. There were 11 teams in the girls’ division.

Newton’s boys finished eighth in a 13-team field in the Class A division. DCG was the team title winner with 26 points and Gilbert was second with 46 points. Newton’s score was 201.

“This was a great start for the girls,” Newton head coach Rachelle Tipton said. “We had a lot of girls group up and run together. Those girls can keep working together and helping each other improve. It’s fun to see how supportive the team is of each other.”

Newton sophomore Rachel Rhoads, who qualified for the 3A state meet on the ISU course, improved her individual finish from the 2015 Gilbert Invitational by one place — seventh to sixth — Thursday. More importantly, Rhoads lowered her time for the 5K race by more than five minutes. Rhoads claimed an individual medal for sixth at 21 minutes, 46.14 seconds.

There was a close race at the front of the girls’ race. DCG’s Katie Murano edged Gilbert’s Carly Rahn to win at the finish line in 21:10.15 to 21:11.51. North Polk’s Amelia Lesher finished third in 21:12.13.

“Rachel got out to a fast start and held on well. She looked strong, and I know she’ll keep building on that strength and endurance as the season goes on,” Tipton said.

Finishing as the Newton girls’ No. 2 runner for the meet was junior Tessa Keeton in 37th in 24:33.16 and freshman Abby Altman was right behind Keeton in 39th at 24:36.74. The other two runners to figure into Newton’s team score were senior Ellie Horn and sophomore Abbie Barr, placing 44th and 45th in 24:47.59 and 24:49.50, respectively.

Sophomore Caelyn Briley finished 47th in 24:59.60 and freshman Jenna Smith took 66th in 26:51.79. Others placing in the top 100 of the 164-runner field for Newton were junior Liz McVey, 27:42.81, in 75th, senior Katherine Thorpe, 28:15.20, in 84th and freshman Tes Schuster, 28:31.56, in 89th.

The rest of the Newton girls finished as follows: 102. senior Jordyn Soule, 29:11.19, 112. freshman Andrea Brown, 29:43.19, 145. junior Maddie Bleeker, 32:59.58, 146. freshman Maddie Walker, 33:08.21, 149. junior Hannah Boecker, 33:38.64, 154. sophomore Rachelle Romo, 34:15.96.

“I was also pleased with our new runners. They never gave up and did not look like ‘rookies,’” Tipton said of the Newton girls. “I’m looking forward to see what we can do at the Grinnell meet.”

Senior captain Noah Sander paced the Newton boys in the Gilbert meet, claiming 22nd in 18:45.04. A year ago, Sander ran the same race in 21:10.11 for 78th place. Sophomore Adam Hunter finished 49th Thursday in 20:03.07 after taking 136th a year ago.

Junior Dylan Main moved up 10 places from last year’s Gilbert meet. Main was 65th in 20:32.98 followed by junior Tyler Dafflitto in 68th in 20:39.03. Providing the final scoring points for the boys’ team was freshman Luke Zaabel in 73rd with a time of 20:48.15.

Juniors Ross Hull and Dalton Pauley were Newton’s No. 7 and No. 8 runners to finish. Hull was 117th in 22:22.64 and Pauley placed 121st in the field of 233 runners with a time of 22:31.09.

“Those seven runners will be running the in varsity race at Grinnell for us,” Newton boys’ head coach Steve Weeks said.

Other runners for the Cardinal boys at Gilbert were: 132. sophomore Connor Moon, 22:53.07, 134. junior Brad Portner, 22:54.68, 161. junior Chad Nolin, 24:04.49, 169. senior Spencer Elbert, 24:18.18, 172. junior Blake Robson, 24:23.85, 173. freshman Addison Dunwell, 24:28.27.

The Cardinal cross country teams have a week to practice before their next meet. On Sept. 6, Newton travels to Grinnell.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535 or jsheets@newtondailynews.com