Titan cross country team finds success at Clyde Cotton Invite

The Titan cross country team made the early trip to Huron on Saturday for the Clyde Cotton Invitational, which featured 268 athletes from more than 20 schools.

For the Varsity girls, Senior Jaycie Babb led the Titans, earning runner-up honors in 18:59.18. Sophomore Grace Bialas ran a strong middle stretch to take 16th (20:25.66), followed by freshman Jayna VanLaecken in 17th (20:33.21). Eighth grader Evelyn DeGeest finished just outside the medals in 24th (20:53.82). Sophomore Logan Castle went out hard and claimed 41st (21:53.18), with fellow sophomore Abby Hilleson in 54th (22:16.51). Seniors Meredith Decker and Brooklyn Reiners placed 63rd (22:42.23) and 65th (22:45.43), respectively. Senior Gracie Kramer finished 96th (25:55.75). The Varsity girls took third in the team standings.

For the Varsity boys, Junior Reid Hammerquist led the way with a strong second-half surge to place 30th (17:41.26). Junior Jonah Klemisch also moved up late, finishing 42nd (18:08.77). Junior Tate VanLaecken pushed into 51st (18:23.99). Freshman Reece Christian ran 63rd (18:41.51) with junior Kaden Christian close behind in 64th (18:47.26). Junior Noah Korver finished 88th (19:38.04) and senior Jacob DeYoung 92nd (20:02.95). The Varsity boys placed ninth in the team standings.

The JV Girls were challenged with a 5K instead of the usual 4K and rose to the occasion with three medalists. Freshman Gretchen Curtis once again led the way, finishing runner-up in 22:27.36. Fellow freshmen Lola Underberg and Grace Chapman also medaled, taking fifth (22:40.85) and 15th with a new PR (23:52.79). Freshman Ella Kamps added another PR in 17th (24:17.16). Sophomore Daphne Decker placed 35th (26:03.88), freshman Natalie Hyronimus 38th (26:25.74), and senior Morgan Sehr 53rd (28:27.55). The JV Girls team battle was tight. Tea Area took second with 52. 

For the JV boys, Freshman Grant Curtis continued his strong season, placing third with a new PR of 18:59.56. Eighth grader Reed Cerny medaled in 14th (19:48.36), and fellow eighth grader Caden Schuster earned 23rd with a PR (20:26.5). Juniors Riley Clark and Malachi Kaiser also set PRs, placing 42nd (21:16.88) and 46th (21:37.58). Sophomore Kadin Zolnowsky finished 57th (22:31.78), freshman Lincoln Dykstra 62nd (23:08.02) in his first 5K, and junior Victor Bruggeman 78th (28:14.97). The JV Boys finished fifth as a team.

The Middle School girls competed in a 2900m race. Seventh grader Carly Castle led the effort with a seventh place finish (11:59.22), followed closely by sixth grader Genevieve Decker in 8th (12:01.33). Seventh grader Angelina Dusa placed 11th (12:11.3), and classmate Lela Kamps 37th (13:04.99). Olivia Grunewaldt crossed 56th (13:37.62), while a group of seventh graders followed: Emilia Marandici 71st (13:59.39), Taytem Petrik 74th (14:05.78), and Michelle Teng 78th (14:10.81). Sixth graders Samantha Klemisch (83rd, 14:21.46) and AvaLynn Ullom (110th, 15:15.13) added depth, along with Thaiann Ekthanitphong (123rd, 16:15.29), Olivia Brockman (125th, 16:41.89), and Lindsey Reemtsma (136th, 20:38.48). The MS girls finished fourth in the team standings.

The Middle School boys’ ran a 2900m race with sixth grader Caleb Jelen taking fifth (10:35.94). Eighth grader Grant Woodis also ran well, taking 21st with a new PR (11:27.47). Seventh grader Micah Hyronimus moved up mid-race to finish 38th (11:48.86). Eighth grader Jace Ullom placed 65th (12:37.54), followed by sixth graders Zane Curry in 85th (13:51.88) and Tristan Waltner in 93rd (15:01.09) in his first career race. The MS boys finished sixth in the team standings.

Next up, the Titans compete in the Border Battle in Grand Forks, N.D., on Saturday, Sept. 27. 

The Varsity girls start at 1:30 p.m., followed by the Varsity boys at 2:30 p.m., then JV girls and JV boys.