GARNETT — The chips were in place for a “fantastic” opening day for Iola High’s cross country team. THE JUNIOR varsity races had Smith on cloud nine. PLUMLEE, meanwhile, was the man to beat from the start of the freshman boys race. Plumlee finished the 4K race in 15:48, 67 seconds better than his nearest pursuer. Kendall Jay also medaled by finishing seventh at 17:30. THE RESULTS left Smith encouraged.
Several younger runners — boys and girls — brought home medals in their respective races.
Abigail Taylor headlined the varsity girls, while Travis Hermstein and Megan Klubek led the junior varsity boys and girls, respectively. Freshman Braden Plumlee won his race by more than a minute, while the middle school’s seventh-grade boys captured three of the top five spots.
“It was fantastic until we got to the varsity boys,” Iola head coach Marv Smith said.
Jeremy Spears, who was leading the Iola contingent through the early portions of the final race of the day, dropped out at the midway point.
“The first mile really zapped him,” Smith said.
Because Iola only entered five runners, the Mustangs were disqualified from earning a team score, and a likely top-five finish.
Even without Spears, the varsity boys still had several bright spots.
Kohl Endicott, who missed much of the 2012 season with a broken arm, led the Mustang varsity squad, finishing the 5K run in 19 minutes, 38 seconds. Michael Wilson also earned a medal by finishing 22nd, with a time of 20:23. Both bettered their marks from last year’s Anderson County race by more than a minute, Smith noted.
Others running for Iola were Bryan Mueller, who finished 41st with a time of 22:36, and Jacob Cooper, 45th in 22:56.
Iola also was without the services of Blaine Klubek, who missed four days of practice during the week because of illness.
On the girls’ side, Taylor took home ninth place by finishing her 4K run in 17:46.
“Abigail may have run her first mile too fast, but her overall time was almost identical to last year’s race,” Smith said. Taylor was in the top four until a pack of Baldwin runners passed her in the final stages, relegating her to ninth.
Shannon Vogel finished 40th with a time of 22:36.
Megan Klubek led the JV girls race for the first mile until a Eudora runner passed her at the midway point. Klubek moved back in front by the 2-mile mark, before the Eudora runner pulled away late.
Klubek’s second-place time in the 4K race was 18:32.
The JV boys also raced a 5K.
Hermstein’s sixth-place time of 21:18 was nearly 2 1/2 minutes faster than his mark from a year ago, and would have placed him 31st among varsity runners. Colby Works also earned a JV medal by finishing 12th with a time of 22:00. The JV boys finished third as a team, even without the services of Jonathan Tidd, who missed the competition with an ankle and shin injury.
Others racing for the JV boys were Yohon Sinclair, 21st at 23:33, Tyler Holloway, 31st at 24:31, Thomas Elder, 34th at 24:39, Ankit Gandhi, 58th at 28:26, and Dareece Bell, 59th at 29:36.
Also racing among the freshmen were Isaiah Fawson, 14th at 19:29, Ryan Eyster 15th at 19:30, Darius Greenawalt, 27th at 22:59, and Isaiah Gawlas, 28th at 23:07.
Smith said Plumlee will likely be bumped up to the varsity level for Iola’s future competitions.
“Even without Braden, our other freshmen will give us a good team score,” he said. “Jay, Fawson and Eyster ran very well. Darious and Isaiah just need four more good weeks of practice and they will move up significantly.”
Iola’s seventh-graders sparkled in the middle school races as well.
Bret Plumlee was first among the seventh-graders with a time of 6:35, followed by Jack Eyster in fourth at 7 minutes and Jackson Wiltse in fifth at 7:07. Natalie DeGrado finished third the seventh-grade girls race in 7:12, even after a Wellsville runner interfered with DeGrado near the end of the race to knock her out of second place.
Chloe Hageman was 10th at 8:42.
The seventh-graders raced a mile.
“Our ‘sev-ies’ competed very well,” Smith said.
“Cross country is not so much about how you do early in the season, but how the team builds itself for the major meets later in the season,” he said.
Anderson Co. Invitational
Varsity Boys (5K)
14. Kohl Endicott, 19:38
22. Michael Wilson, 20:23
41. Bryan Mueller, 22:32
45. Jacob Cooper, 22:56
Varsity Girls (4K)
9. Abigail Taylor, 17:46
40. Shannon Vogel, 22:36
JV Boys (5K)
6. Travis Hermstein, 21:18
12. Colby Works, 22:00
21. Yohon Sinclair, 23:33
31. Tyler Holloway, 24:31
34. Thomas Elder, 24:39
58. Ankit Gandhi, 28:26
59. Dareece Bell, 29:36
JV Girls (4K)
2. Megan Klubek, 18:32
9th Boys (4K)
1. Braden Plumlee, 15:48
7. Kendall Jay, 17:30
14. Isaiah Fawson, 19:29
15. Ryan Eyster, 19:30
27. Darius Greenawalt, 22:59
28. Isaiah Gawles, 23:07.
7th Boys (1 mile)
1. Bret Plumlee, 6:35
4. Jack Eyster, 7:00
5. Jackson Wiltse, 7:07
9. David Petty, 7:42
16. Jacob Burcham, 9:29
7th Girls (1 mile)
3. Natalie DeGrado, 7:12
10. Chloe Hageman, 8:42
Cross country season opens
