Iola, MVHS and Crest runners race at Fort Scott

FORT SCOTT — Cooler weather greeted runners at Thursday’s Fort Scott High Invitational cross country meet.
Iola High’s Mustangs captured second place in both the varsity and junior varsity races. Labette County won the varsity boys’ race with 23 points and Iola was second with 33 points.
There wasn’t a freshman boys’ race and Iola’s freshmen ran in the junior varsity race. The Mustang JV scored 55 points for second behind Labette County’s 31 points.
Iola High’s Fillies placed fifth as a team with 84 points. Frontenac edged out Labette County for first with 54 points to the Grizzlies’ 56.
Marmaton Valley High and Crest High, which originally cut its program, had runners in the varsity boys’ race and in both junior varsity races.
“It was nice weather conditions but the course had some rough and bad footing portions plus a newly mowed pasture portion of the course a day or two earlier,” said Marvin Smith, Iola head coach.
“That played havoc with our asthma and allergy kids who had a tough time breathing as did the Louk kids from Marmaton Valley.”
Senior Sydney Owens and freshman Jo Lohman earned medals in the girls’ varsity race. Owens finished fifth, running the 2.5-mile course in 19 minutes, 18 seconds. Lohman posted a 19:52 for 13th. Smith said Lohman’s time would have won the junior varsity race.
“Seniors are required to run varsity so Briann Burris and Jennica Rausch are both asthma sufferers so we used Jo and April Elder just to get a team score,” Smith said.
Senior Kelsey Larson ran in the top 10 for a mile but that was it for the first-time cross country competitor. Larson ended up 27th in 22:25. Elder was 30th in 24:16 followed by Burris in 33rd at 25:07 and Rausch in 35th at 26:20.
The varsity Mustangs claimed four of the 15 individual medals along with second-place team medals.
Trent Latta, a sophomore, had a strong start and maintained it throughout the 3.1-mile race. Latta was fourth in 18:17 with senior Roman Yocham, who got tripped up at the start, ended up sixth in 18:32.
In between the two Iola runners was Marmaton Valley senior Zach Louk, taking the fifth-place medal in 18:25. Crest High senior Dustin Davis Jones finished eighth in 19:03.
“Dustin really competed and ran as hard as I’ve ever seen him run,” said Tisha Hug, Crest High cross country coach. “He’s not in the shape he would like to be in right now for his first race we were thrilled with the outcome.”
Iola sophomore Jeremy Spears finished 10th in 19:21 followed by sophomore Tyler Powelson in 17th at 19:55. Seniors Bryan Miller, 20:29, and Christian Kauth, 21:38, were 20th and 24th, respectively.
“Jeremy, Tyler and Bryan had very good races. Christian was OK early in the race but had leg cramps before the last mile,” Smith said.
Smith said leg problems have hit the Iola teams, especially the young girls who did not compete in track last spring. Junior Jordan Strickler has shin splints.
Sophomore Shannon Vogel was the only Iola girl to finish the junior varsity race. Vogel was 17th in 24:20. Carrie Mock, a sophomore had to drop out with breathing problems.
Marmaton Valley’s sophomore Ashtynn Louk earned the fifth-place medal in 21:08 in the junior varsity race. Freshman Brooklynn Gray-LaCross is the only Crest girl runner and finished 20th in 28:00.48.
“Brooklynn has participated  in track but she has not traditionally run the distance race. This was a great learning experience for her first race,” Hug said. “She works hard and will continue to improve.”
Running a 2.5-mile race, Iola’s junior varsity boys were led by  at trio. Kohl Endicott was eighth in 16:47  followed by Michael Wilson in 16:48 and Blaine Klubek in 10th at 16:49. Michael Armstrong was 18th in 17:29.
Others placing for Iola were: 23. Bryan Mueller, 17:46, 27. Christian Ruby, 18:31, 31. Jarrett Mosbrucker, 18:44, 32. Travis Hermstein, 18:45, 36. Jacob Cooper, 18:50, 41, Gerardo Rojas, 19:10, 42. Tyler Shelby, 19:11, 45. Jonathan Tidd, 19:17, 49. Arion Kunkler, 19:28, 58. Tyler Holloway, 20:19, 59. Logan Roettgen, 20:31, 62. Jason Tidd, 20:43.
Marmaton Valley’s Chance Stevenson earned the second-place medal in the junior varsity race in 16:29. Garrett Booth was 28th in 18:35.
Iola, Marmaton Valley and Crest compete at the Parsons High Invitational at Big Hill Reservoir.