You should make the trip to Kearney if you are a fan of our sport. Every emotion imaginable on full display. In my 40+ years of running I can’t remember being so heartbroken after a race, the tears from our DC West girls team doing just that. Going in as the favorites, just was not to be their day finishing 4th.
Some personal highlights of our 5 hours at the Kearney Country Club:
Kellianne Green taking the Class C Girls title in 18:50. Undefeated for the year. Linda and I got to see her very first race at the DC West Invitational where she handled the invited Class A girls easily. Traveled to 2 additional meets, we knew we were seeing something special indeed.
Gabe Hinrichs (15:18) taking both Class A and All Class Gold. 7 ticks away from the meet record.
Carson Noecker (15:19) leading class C Boys. 8 ticks away from the meet record.
Elli Dahl (17:58) Class A and All Class Gold setting a new meet record while cracking the 18:00 barrier on the fabled course.
Mesuidi Ejerso (16:28) won the Boys Class B title.
Madison Seiler (19:29), Girls Class B title.
Tylen Schlueter (16:40), Class D Boys title.
Jordan Arens (19:11), Class D Girls title.
The team competitions were the most dramatic, by far. None more so than Class A Boys and Class A Girls.
I’ve been following the Boys with particular interest. I put 3 kids through Millard West, an affinity still exists with the Wildcats. Fremont has a special place in my heart too. I extend invitations to both schools for our winter fitness series and over the last 4 years Fremont Tigers have participated robustly, allowing us to get to know them well. With only 3 points separating, the Tigers (66) knocked off the Nationally 3rd ranked Wildcats (69). Both schools leaving everything on the greens, what more could a fan ask for.
The Girls team title was taken by Lincoln East (54 points) with 6,7,8, 16, & 17th overall finishers. The Lady Tigers were next with 87 points led by Dahl’s win and 10,15,24, & 37th. Fremont will graduate 5 of their mates but the Tiger culture, their youth development programs on up, tells me to not count them out next year.
Full results here: 2021 NSAA High School State Cross Country Meet – Official Event Details at Online Race Results
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