Winterset Boys Win Team Title at Atlantic Cross Country Invite, Kuemper, 2nd, St. Albert, 3rd

(Atlantic) #10 Mason Back led Winterset to the team title at the Atlantic Cross Country Invitational on Thursday. The senior topped the field in a time of 16:43.55.

The Huskies scored 36-points and placed four runners in the top ten, and Collin Kessler finished 11^th. Sam Hensley crossed the line in fifth, Ethan Easter in ninth, and Eli Cowman tenth.

Kuemper finished second with 124-points; St. Albert, third, 139; Sergeant Bluff-Luton, fourth, 144; and Denison-Schleswig, fifth, 152.

Without Bennett Whetstone’s services, Atlantic ended the meet in sixth place with 168-points. Christian Thompson led the way with a 19^th place run, Devon Fields, 27^th, Alex Sonntag, 29^th, Tyrell Williams, 38^th, and Mason McFadden, 55^th. Talon Lejeuness, 65^th, and Braden Spurr, 73^rd.

“We ran with some adversity today,” said Atlantic Head Coach Dan Vargason. “Bennett Whetstone rolled his ankle at Southeast Polk and again this week at practice. Christian Thompson had a breakout run; we have been waiting for that; he is a strong kid, and it’s great to see him punch through that wall; we knew he had it in him.

“Alex Sonntag ran number two for us, along with Devon Fields running side-by-side for most of the race. Tyrell Williams looked strong, we have been tinkering with his race strategy, and it looks like we need to stick with what we saw today. Talon Lejeuness got called up on Wednesday to run varsity; last year, he was running in the 28’s, and this year, he is down to 19.00. Braden Spurr battled, and that was good to see.”

Team results:
1. Winterset, 36
2. Kuemper, 124
3. Saint Albert, 139
4. Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 144
5. Denison-Schleswig, 152
6. Atlantic, 168
7. Clarinda, 178
8. Harlan, 180
9. Riverside, 204
10. Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln, 265
11. Earlham, 272
12. Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson, 286
13. Treynor, 318
14. Creston, 366
15. Shenandoah, 381
16. Nodaway Valley, 389

Top 20 Individuals:
1. Mason Back, Winterset, 16:43.55 (Pictured) 
2. Richard Gonzales, Denison-Schleswig, 16:54.82
3. Colin Lillie, Saint Albert, 16:56.93
4. Treyton Schaapherder, Clarinda, 17:02.03
5. Sam Hensley, Winterset, 17:02.65
6. Kyle Wagner, Clarinda, 17:06.11
7. Doug Berg, Nodaway Valley, 17:14.25
8. Ryan North, Kuemper, 17:27.44
9.  Ethan Easter, Winterset, 17:29.96
10. Eli Cowman, Winterset, 17:36.94
11. Collin Kessler, Winterset, 17:38.70
12. Jacob Greving, Kuemper, 17:46.88
13. Owen Wise, Saint Albert, 17:52.79
14. Luke Heithoff, Winterset, 17:53.22
15. Blake Tiemeyer, Earlham, 17:56.04
16. Mason McCready, Riverside, 17:57.41
17. Michael Wieseler, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 18:07.20
18. Braulio Gonzalez, Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 18:07. 65
19. Christian Thompson, Atlantic, 18:09.46
20. Kaiden Hamilton, Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson, 18:13.12