HUMBOLDT — Among the myriad events affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic was Iola’s Doc Stiles Invitational Cross Country meet, one of the largest such events in the area, with more than 20 schools normally in attendance.
The event became so mammoth that coaches and runners from Allen Community College assisted with the organizing.
But with the pandemic affecting schools near and far, it was evident almost immediately this year’s Doc Stiles meet was off the table.
That left Iola and other schools scrambling to find another event to fill their schedules.
Up stepped Humboldt High School, which volunteered the use of the city’s golf course for a safe, attractive venue.
All systems were go Tuesday with schools from Iola, Yates Center, Crest, Columbus and Caney Valley participating.
Even better, with the spacious environs the golf course offered, spectators were able to safely watch the races unfold from several, socially distant vantage points.
“We had a great crowd, a great turnout,” Humboldt High head coach and event organizer Eric Carlson said. “I’m very happy with the people who were here. It went smoothly, for the first time we’d ever done it.”
Carlson is eager to see the Humboldt meet become a fixture on the fall cross country schedule, “now that we’ve got it planned out, and we kind of know how to do this. We’ll see.”
The calm, overcast weather treated the spectators to some dandy racing.
Among the highlights:
— Iola High’s Jack Adams added to his gold medal collection, by besting all comers in the boys varsity race, finishing the 5K course in 17 minutes, 30 seconds.
— Crest High’s Ursula Billings picked up silver with her second-place finish in the girls varsity 5K, finishing in 21:50.
— Iola’s Japheth Rutah was the winner in the boys junior varsity run, while Yates Center’s Courtney Spoon finished second in the girls JV.
— Eighth-grade winners were Cole Moyer of Iola Middle School on the boys side and McKenna Jones of Humboldt Middle School for the girls.
