WAMEGO — The Iola boys knew they had a tough task ahead of them at the state cross country meet Saturday.
Twelve different teams from four different regionals lined up for a shot at the state title but in the end, the Mustangs found themselves on the bottom of that heap, finishing 12th.
“The boys were disappointed that we did not beat a team that was there,” head coach Marv Smith said. “However, I did point out that there are 52 teams that couldn’t get there since there aren’t split division in 4A for cross country. All schools compete as one division, regardless of enrollment.”
Freshman Jack Adams was the top finisher for Iola, finishing 34th with a time of 17:58 while junior Cole Regehr (18:00) finished 36th.
Elijah Fawson (19:00) finished 69th, Bret Plumlee (19:01) finished 71st, Nathan Louk (19:52) finished 79th, Riley Jay (20:11) finished 80th and Bryce Andres (21:11) finished 83rd.
Despite the finish, Smith knows that this young team’s best work is still ahead of them.
“I have to be reminded that Jack, Nathan, and Riley are freshmen and Bret is running CC for the first time,” Smith said. “We will get bigger and stronger by next season.”
Meanwhile, lone Fillie and sophomore Elka Billings and the 4A girls opened the meet with the first race of the day with a chill still in the air.
That did not slow her down much as she finished a respectable 36th with a time of 21:20.
“Elka had her usual good race,” Smith said. “She was in the top 10 in every race during the regular season as well as at the regional. I really did not know what to expect. Her time of 21:20 was several seconds slower than her regional, but still a good race for the field she was in.”
Billings leads what’s also a young group on the girls’ side who just barely missed out on making the state meet as a team. Smith sees big things for them in the next several years.
“Our girls’ team had 4 sophomores, four freshmen and a junior,” Smith said. “We add five 8th grade girls—three are very good now, and the other two are not as strong, but they will get stronger—and meaner.”
Last but not least, Marmaton Valley senior Shelby Yoho made her return trip to the state meet after a 10th place finish in regionals.
She came in 49th on Saturday with a time of 25:43.9.
Other area runners compete in state meet on Saturday
