Staying on course

Iola's Keegan Hill took seventh and Crest's Josie Walter sixth in their respective varsity races Thursday at a season-opening cross country race in Garnett Thursday. Runners from Humboldt also competed.

By RICHARD LUKEN - THE IOLA REGISTER

Sports

September 6, 2024 - 3:51 PM

Iola High's Kale Godfrey nears the finish at a meet in Garnett Thursday. Photo by Richard Luken / Iola Register

GARNETT — The 2024 cross country season opened with a flourish for runners from Iola, Crest and Humboldt high schools.

The occasion was the Jerry Howarter Classic, hosted by Anderson County High School at the Garnett Country Club.

The runners had to deal with temperatures hovering near 90, on one of the most challenging courses in the area, with an ending 300-yard sprint going straight uphill.

And they did so against a loaded field of top runners from this part of the state.

Iola High’s Ruger Boren leads a caravan of runners at a meet in Garnett Thursday.Photo by Richard Luken

The Crest speedsters Josie Walter, Payton Schmidt and Aubrey Allen acquitted themselves very well against the field, finishing sixth, ninth and 14th in the girls varsity race.

On the boys side, Iola’s Keegan Hill and Cole Moyer took seventh and 18th, respectively, in their 5K run.

Other highlights included Humboldt’s Anna Heisler and Tori Melendez and Iola’s Mahailie Genoble all securing top-10 finishes in the girls junior varsity run.

Iola’s Joshua Wanker placed fifth in the boys JV. Crest’s Lynnex Allen took second in the seventh-grade girls 2-mile run as well.

Full results follow.