JEWELL — Panorama journeyed north to face South Hamilton Thursday, both the junior varsity and varsity cross country teams competing in the Jim Klein Invitational.
Gilbert won all four races, claiming the girls varsity with 90 points. Panorama was second at 108 and Aplington-Parkersburg third at 113 in a 16-team field. Thirty-five points carried Gilbert to the boys win, with Madrid (63) second and South Hamilton (87) third, with Panorama (358) 13th among 16 teams.
“I am happy with tonight’s races,” Panorama head coach Greg Thompson said. “The weather was great for distance running. We had four season-best times, two lifetime bests times and 14 course-best times.”
A-P’s Sophie Jungling and AC/GC’s Kate Crawford were 1-2 in the 110-member girls race in 19 minutes, 38 seconds and 19:41, respectively. Panorama sophomore Ella Waddle was third, only a stride of two from the win, crossing in 19:46.
“Ella looks strong and healthy, but the rest of the girls are a little beaten up (tight and sore), so we will go easy with them, so they can get healed up for a good run at conference and state qualifying,” Thompson said. “Lydia Lindstrom (a junior who led the Panther JV team) is almost back to full health and looked good today.”
Freshman Payton Beckman was 14th in 21:30, with sophomore twins Olivia and Gwen Steffen 26th and 31st in 22:07 and 22:23, with senior Brooklyn Behrends also scoring by placing 34th in 22:29. Also running for the varsity were freshman Leah Fett (54th, 23:14), and senior Jaelyn Waddle (62nd, 23:29).
Gilbert’s Rees Tyler (16:19) and Nathan Patel (16:40) were 1-3 in the boys race, with Sean McDermott of Madrid second in 16:25.
Freshman Kevin Cogil (49th, 19:10) led Panorama, but one tick behind, in 19:11, was junior Emry Colby, who at long last rejoined his teammates in competition.
“Emry ran his first race of the season and had a good opening time,” Thompson said. “The boys are improving. We will continue to push them hard this week in prepping for conference and state qualifying.”
Noah Kirtley was 64th in 19:40, with Kade Kemble and Avery Norman 97-98 in 20:42 and 20:57. Alec Mills (109th, 22:11) also ran for the Panther varsity.
Gilbert had a near-perfect 16 points in dominating the eight-team, 83-runner girls JV race, with Panorama a distant second at 62.
Lindstrom (5th, 23:21), Chloe Webster (7th, 23:29) and Emily Smith (11th, 23:53) led the Panthers, with Abby Cobb (18th, 24:13) and Bryn Steffen (24:37) also in action. Molly Simmons (26th, 24:51) ran for the JV as well.
Twenty points fueled Gilbert’s win the boys JV competition, in which 173 harriers ran.
Panorama had only two runners competing, with freshman Jordan Wehmeyer 142nd in 24:03.23 and senior Paul Hansen 152nd in 24:42.7.
The Panthers will next be in action October 11 when they serve as host for the WCAC meet.
