South Winneshiek junior runner Melissa Ward closes in on the finish line during the Warriors’ first cross country meet of the season. Ward went on to place 21st (23:49) and helped her team to a runner-up finish at Edgewood-Colesburg. (Jerry Wadian photo)
SW XC strong in season debut
Zakary Kriener
News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com
The South Winneshiek girls’ and boys’ cross country teams got their seasons started in a positive way last week as they traveled to Edgewood to compete at Woods Edge Golf Course.
Up first was the girls’ event, which saw South Winn senior Felicity Taylor finish first overall with a time of 20:42.
The next Warrior finisher was junior Ashley Kriener, who finished 11th with a time of 22:35. She was followed by Olivia Massman (14th, 23:03), Melissa Ward (21st, 23:49), Sami Bohr (24th, 24:08), and Jenna Knutson (27th, 24:51).
As a result of several strong individual finishes, the Warriors placed second overall as a team, only five points behind 2017 Class 1A state champion Central.
Girls’ Team Results
1. Central, 65; 2. South Winn, 70; 3. Kee, 82; 4. Sumner-Fredericksburg, 101; 5. Jesup, 107; 6. Dyersville Beckman, 118; 7. NFV, 140; 8. Starmont, 173.
For the Warrior boys, it was senior Derek Dietzenbach who led the war among South Winn runners as he placed fourth overall with a time of 18:00. Directly behind Dietzenbach was junior Paul Hageman, who finished fifth with a time of 18:09.
Sophomore Emmett Schwartzhoff and senior Paxten DeVilbiss finished eighth and ninth, respectively, each with a time of 18:47.