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Cross country boys finish 2nd despite ailments

By Benton Smith - | Oct 5, 2010

Even on a day when physical issues kept Tonganoxie High’s boys from going full throttle, the Chieftains took second place at the Maranatha Academy Cross Country Invitational on Thursday in Shawnee.

Both of the team’s top runners, Patrick Rachford and Caleb Himpel, weren’t feeling well, but Rachford finished fourth and Himpel (who vomited a few minutes before the race began) was eighth.

There was another ailment for THS to deal with during the run, coach Phil Williams said.

“Brady Field cramped up during the race, but Clayton Himpel moved up to help us,” the coach said.

Williams said there was too much of a gap in between some of the team’s runners, which kept Tonganoxie from a team title.

Still, the coach is encouraged by the squad’s potential.

“Overall, the boys have been a pleasant surprise to me this season,” Williams said, “and if we can put it all together, I think we have a chance to qualify for state and do respectably well there.”

Girls finish 4th

Tonganoxie’s girls were once again hurt by the absence of the team’s top runner, Emily Soetaert (out with strained abdominal muscles and allergy problems), and finished fourth.

But Williams said the team had some good individual performances. Both Alex Hauk and Taylar Morgan finished in the top 20 and Williams noted the progress of two other runners, as well.

“Emma Stilgenbauer continues to improve each race,” he said. “Grae Wilbanks also has improved very much and will run varsity for us (this) week.”

The coach also said he expects Soetaert to compete at the team’s next race, 5 p.m. Thursday at the Pleasant Ridge Invitational.

The inaugural Maranatha invitational, Williams said, was a good experience for the THS squads, because they faced some different competition.

“There were only eight schools competing, but several of the ones there were tough,” he said.

The junior varsity runners ran at the same time as varsity in each race.

Maranatha Academy Cross Country Invitational

Thursday at Shawnee

Girls

Team scores: 1. Christ Prep, 37; 2. Kansas City Christian, 59; 3. Maranatha Academy, 88; 4. Tonganoxie, 99; 5. Bishop Seabury, 155; 6. St. Marys, 210.

THS results: 15. Alex Hauk, 19:07; 17. Taylar Morgan, 19:14; 18. Emma Stilgenbauer, 19:16; 21. Parker Osborne, 19:36; 30. Grae Wilbanks, 20:27; 31. Amanda Shepley, 20:30; 32. Erika Flores, 20:35.16; 33. Jessica Sommers, 20:35.76; 36. Alyssa Miller, 20:56; 40. Sarah Williams, 21:37; 42. Lindsay Cox, 21:48; 46. Aly Bartholomew, 21:59; 47. Taylor Clark, 22:16; 49. Annie Holton, 22:28; 51. Kelsi Briggs, 22:35; 53. Tayler Miles, 22:49; 55. Rachel Sparks, 23:02; 56. Denise Flores, 23:03; 59. Rachel Woods, 23:08; 60. Lindsay Truesdell, 23:11; 61. Rachel Collinge, 23:22; 63. Jody Baragary, 23:36; 64. Makayla Leslie, 23:39; 65. Jessica Rubio, 23:40; 71. Lauren Hughes, 26:22.

Boys

Team scores: 1. Christ Prep, 26; 2. Tonganoxie, 80; 3. Maranatha Academy, 80; 4. Kansas City Christian, 95; 5. St. Marys, 108; 6. Bishop Seabury, 185.

THS results: 4. Patrick Rachford, 17:43; 8. Caleb Himpel, 18:01; 17. Dalton Harrington, 18:38; 22. Keith Slater, 19:12; 29. Clayton Himpel, 19:36; 33. Jeff Neal, 19:49; 35. Brady Field, 20:09; 38. Joel Dunning, 20:31; 42. Andrew Behm, 20:56; 54. Bret Morey, 22:42; 56. Austin Searcy, 22:47; 59. Bobby Edmonds, 23:18; 65. Jesse Kaighin, 23:56; 72. Hank Somers, 26:32.