Expectations shifting for E-B cross country

By JEFF LAMPE
For The Weekly Post

ELMWOOD – Since starting the year with a young team and modest hopes, expectations have changed for the Elmwood-Brimfield boys cross country team.

The most recent shift came Saturday as the Trojans ran second to Eureka at the Elmwood Invite at Maple Lane Country Club and now rank 9th in Class 1A – up from 21st when the season began.

Led by junior Isaiah Hill’s fourth (16:03.2), E-B also got strong races from the rest of its top five: sophomore Mika Nelson (17th, 16:33.8), senior Brendan Williams (23rd, 16:43.7), freshman Aiden Faulkner (26th, 16:47) and sophomore Reed Florey (29th, 16:56.3).

“At the start of this year our goal was to qualify for state as a team. As the year has progressed and the guys have shown significant improvement as a team, we have raised those goals,” E-B Coach Gregg Meyers said. “I have been really happy with the effort at practice and improved mental toughness we have shown both at practice and in races, which has led to some really good performances in our recent meets. Now we are setting goals that include finishing in the top 10 at state.”

The E-B girls placed fourth Saturday behind Eureka, Pleasant Plains and El Paso-Gridley.

“Our goal was to have a race time within 15 seconds of what we did on Tuesday’s conference meet. Five out of the seven that raced Tuesday and Saturday got that goal,” E-B Coach Kyle Anderson said. “Chloe Kelly (30th, 20:21.8) and Bre Turner were faster Saturday than they were on Tuesday so they had a very good day. Addy Turner (53rd, 21:24.4) also had a PR Saturday after not racing Tuesday.”

Leading E-B was Addie Symonds (9th, 19:03), followed by Natalie Babcock (34th, 20:34.8) and Olivia Stage (38th, 20:41.7).

Princeville’s Alyvia Cowser had a strong race, finishing 13th in a season-best 19:13.5. Other scoring runners for the 9th-place Lady Princes were Montana Hoerr (72nd, 22:11), Kyra Hilsabeck (77th, 22:21), Katelyn Giffin (83rd, 22:40) and Brinae Rice (141st, 24:45).

Better yet was the sixth-place Princeville boys team, which had seven of eight runners post lifetime bests. Leading Princeville was Joey Bosch (15th, 16:30), which moved him into second in school history, while Tucker Sennett (28th, 16:54) took over third all-time. Other scoring runners were Jack Lied (50th, 17:34), Matthew Bowers (52nd, 17:41) and Parker Melick (73rd, 18:22).

Cowser and Bosch also earned medals (actually t-shirts) on Sept. 27 at the El Paso-Gridley Invitational.

Dax Ulm (39th, 17:10.9) led the Farmington boys at the Elmwood Invite and Violet Easley (125th, 24:12.6) headed up the Lady Farmers.