Wilkins’ top-five finishes lead C-M boys at Montezuma, North Polk

MONTEZUMA — Sullivan Wilkins finished third, but the Colfax-Mingo boys cross country team couldn’t keep up with most of the field during the Montezuma Invitational on Thursday.

The Tigerhawks competed at Big Springs Shooting Complex and placed seventh in an eight-team field that was made up mostly of South Iowa Cedar League schools.

South Tama County won the meet with 57 points. That was 14 better than English Valleys (71) and 25 in front of Sigourney (82). The rest of the top five included BGM (106) and host Montezuma (113).

Belle Plaine (140) edged Colfax-Mingo (142) for sixth, but the Tigerhawks edged HLV/TC (143) by one point for seventh.

Sullivan Wilkins led the Tigerhawks with a third-place finish in the boys’ 5K race. The only two runners who came in before him were Class 3A No. 23 Barrett Jesina of South Tama County and 1A No. 25 Troy Klett of Sigourney.

Wilkins finished the boys’ 5K race in 17 minutes, 26.1 seconds. Mario Rodriguez (20:05) was 24th, Willie Fitzgerald (22:11.3) placed 45th, Benjamin Faidley (22:20.1) took 47th and Ryan Moore (24:07) was the final scoring runner in 54th.

Asher Knutson (28:30.9) and Milo Knutson (29:35) were non-scoring runners in 60th and 61st, respectively.

Jesina won the boys’ race in 16:21.9, and Klett placed second in 17:00.8.

Wilkins finishes fifth against loaded field at North Polk

ALLEMAN — Class 1A No. 3 Ankeny Christian Academy dominated the field, but Wilkins placed fifth in the boys’ 5K race at North Polk High School on Monday.

The Eagles placed five runners in the first nine positions and won the meet title with 24 points. Class 2A No. 19 Van Meter was the closest to ACA in second, but the Bulldogs scored 78 points.

The Gilbert junior varsity (99), North Polk (105) and Grand View Christian (152) completed the top five. The rest of the 10-team field featured Collins-Maxwell (156), Saydel (191), Des Moines Christian (204), Boone (222) and Colfax-Mingo (253).

Wilkins’ fifth-place finish in the boys’ race was clocked in 17:27.38. Moore (23:55.53) was 83rd, Faidley (23:56.47) placed 84th, Milo Knutson (29:40.76) ended up 95th and Asher Knutson (30:30.13) took 96th.

Class 1A No. 8 Alex Davis of Ankeny Christian Academy won the boys’ race in 16:27.51. His teammate, 1A No. 23 Zachary Gardner, finished second in 16:54.85.