GC cross country teams tune-up for conference meet with runs in Amery and Eau Claire Invites
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GLENWOOD CITY senior Owen Bauman is shown competing in the Old Abe Cross Country Invitational held October 8 in Eau Claire. He finished with a time of 21:47.6. —photo by Tryn Gross
With a pair of large invitationals on their collective dockets for the final week of the regular season, the Glenwood City cross country teams used them to prepare for this Thursday’s Dunn-St. Croix Conference meet which will be hosted by Colfax at Whitetail Golf Course.
The Hilltopper runners took the opportunity to adjust and improve their racing acumen when they competed last Tuesday in Amery and again in Eau Claire this past Saturday all to maximize their efforts for the upcoming conference meet, which begins at 4:00 p.m. this Thursday, October 13, and the sectional meet slated for October 22 in Cadott.
Amery Invitational
Glenwood City used the Amery Invitational, which was held last Tuesday, October 4, more as a training session rather than a competition.
As he has often does prior to the start of the tournament series, head coach Matthew Schutz had his top runners assist other teammates during some meets with pacing and race strategy in hopes that it will benefit all at the conference meet and beyond and such was the case at the Amery.
That’s why senior JJ Williams’ name did not appear at the top of the boys’ list of 123 runners that competed in Amery. Williams slowed his pace to help others and finished his 5,000 meter run in 18:56.5 to take 16th place. He helped pull up sophomore Zeb Holden and senior Sal Stillday who finished just one place and a second apart with Holden taking 19th in 19:05.6 and Stillday finishing 20th with a time of 19:06.6.
Sophomore Elliott Springborn benefited from seniors Anthony Nelson and Elek Anderson. Springborn took 28th in 19:30.1 while Nelson and Anderson placed 32nd and 33rd, respectively, in times of 19:52.5 and 19:54.8.
RUNNING in the Amery Cross Country Invitational October 4 were Glenwood City’s Ben Standaert (left) and Ilan Anderson. —photo by Tryn Gross
Nine other Topper boys ran in Amery. Junior Connor Berends was 40th in 20:11.5 and was followed closely by sophomore Tyler Harrington who placed 41st in 20:13.4, freshman Garrett Gross ran a 20:47.6 for 53rd, sophomore Ilan Anderson copped 61st in 21:06.4, freshman Ben Standaert finished in 21:07.7 to place 64th, freshman Micah Simmons crossed the finish line in 21:45.8 to take 70th, senior Owen Bauman was 72nd with a time of 21:49.2, sophomore Tyler Rogers finished 85th in a time of 22:50 and sophomore Evan Hojem took 95th after a run of 23:05.3.
The boys still finished third out of a dozen teams with 108 points. Grantsburg was the team champions with 40 points just three ahead of runner-up Prescott who was led by individual winner senior Tyler Loucks who ran a 17:01.8.
The Topper girls finished with 280 points and placed last among the 11 schools that had full squads. Host Amery won the girls’ title with a score of 22 while Prescott again took second with a score of 90. Unity senior Ann Boland ran a 20:24.8 to finish first among the 111 runners in the girls’ race.
Sophomore Elsja Meijer was the first of five Glenwood City girls to finish the race. Meijer ran a 25:07.8 to place 57th. Junior Haylie Hannah was the next Topper to cross the finish taking 67th in 26:14.6. Following those two were freshmen Ava Multhauf and Gabriella Williams in 92nd and 93rd place, respectively, in times of 28:57.8 and 29:07.0. The final Glenwood City runner to come to the line was sophomore Stephanie Anderson who took 100th place after running a time of 30:04.4.
HILLTOPPER cross country runners Ava Multhauf (left) and Haylie Hannah ran together during a portion of the Old Ave Invite held Saturday, October 8 in Eau Claire. Hannah finihsd in 29th and Multhauf took 58th in junior varsity competition. —photo by Tryn Gross
Old Abe Invitational
Glenwood City’s cross country runners competed in the Old Abe Invite hosted by Eau Claire Memorial and held at South Middle School Saturday, October 8.
Led by another first-place showing from senior JJ Williams, the Glenwood City boys placed 13th out of 18 total teams. There were 148 individuals running in the boys division and 127 for the girls. Teams and individuals from Division 1, 2 and 3 competed.
Williams ran a 16:16.1 to pick up the win and finished more than six second ahead of fellow senior Colin Hanson of Eau Claire Memorial. Three other Topper seniors would follow Williams to the line. Elek Anderson was the boys’ second runner to complete the race taking 65th in 18:21.0, followed by Anthony Nelson who came in 85th in 18:45.5 and Sal Stillday had a time of 18:51.0 to place 88th.
Freshman Clayton Hoffman completed the team scoring as its fifth runner, taking 97th in 19:04.8. Another freshman, Garrett Gross, finished in 107th with a time of 19:37.3 and finally sophomore Zeb Holden placed 111th with a time of 19:44.9.
The Glenwood City girls did not receive a team score as just one runner, sophomore Elsja Meijer, ran in the varsity race taking 74th place in 22:51.0.
A trio of girls did compete in the junior varsity race. Haylie Hannah took 29th in 24:57.3, Ava Multhauf placed 58th with a run of 27:06.9 and Stephanie Anderson was 67th with a time of 28:28.4.
The Topper boys finished fifth in the junior varsity race with a score of 158. Ian Anderson was the top finisher taking 13th in 19:19, Elliott Springborn placed 19th in 19:26.2, Tyler Harrington ran a 20:02.7 to finish 36th, Owen Bauman was 49th in 20:17.2, Ben Standaert crossed the finish in 86th with a time of 21:13.8, Micah Simmons came in 100th after a run of 21:47.6 and Tyler Rogers placed 105th with a time of 21:54.3.