TOWN OF MIFFLIN — The Fennimore boys cross country team made a big early-season statement by dominating the eight-team Iowa–Grant Invitational Saturday morning, Aug. 26.

The Golden Eagles put five runners in the top 10, and sixth-runner Griffin Fry finished 13th at 19:16.9, as Fennimore easily outpaced runner-up and defending SWAL champion Iowa–Grant, 28–72, to win the boys’ title. Reedsburg finished third with 74 points.

Does this mean the Fennimore boys, who return six of their seven runners from last year’s SWAL runner-up team that went on to place 14th at the WIAA Division 3 state meet, is now the clear favorite to win this year’s conference title?

“As far as being the clear favorite, that’s hard to say (at this point),” said Fennimore head coach Ryanne Carl. “I think after running this upcoming weekend at Darlington we will have a better idea. It looks like Bosocbel had a great race this past weekend and could possibly be a contender as well.

“As far as our guys’ race, it was awesome to see them in a big pack for the first 1.5 miles.  When they rounded the first corner after going around the corn field, it was pretty cool to see a large pack of gold uniforms right at the front of the pack. We knew from track, that Iowa Grant and Southwestern/Cuba City/Benton would have some great front runners as well. It should be a fun season watching them compete against each other.”

All nine returning Fennimore runners beat their time from last year’s IG invitational, some by as much as four minutes, as the case of Fry (19:16 from 23:28 a year ago), Orlando Bonilla (21:23 down from 25:28) and Walker Wubben (23:57 down from 27:50.

Senior Asa Cutting dropped more than three minutes from a year ago finishing at 25:00 Saturday, down from 28:25 a year ago. Freshman Kobe Rosemeyer finished 70th in his first high school race.

Junior Issac Henkel battled eventual winner Bret Connolly (17:53.7), a junior from Iowa–Grant, in the lead pack before finishing second at 17:58.7.

Seniors Carter Bunn (18:12.0) and Riley Foreyt (18:36.8) finished fourth and fifth individually, senior Nick Needham (18:49.9) finished seventh and junior Ben Varela raced to a 10th-place finish at 19:15.9 for the Eagles.

On the girls’ side, Fennimore was missing a pair of runners and didn’t have a complete team.

“We were definitely short-handed,” said Carl. “Kylee Mumm wasn’t at the meet as she played in a club softball tournament and Natalie Horsfall was not feeling well.

Mumm, now a sophomore, was a first-team All-SWAL runner a last year as a freshman when she finished eighth at conference and ninth at sectionals.

Only two of Fennimore’s six girls competed in Saturday’s season-opener.

Freshman Keira Kartman placed ninth in her first high school 5K race with a time of 24:49.8, while fellow freshman Julianne Washa finished 36th at 30:18.8 in her first high school  race.

“Our young girls’ team dealt with the pressures well and started the season off on a great note,” said Carl. “Keira led the way and secured her first high school medal placing ninth.  Once we have the entire team racing, the girls will be a fun team to watch their growth!”

Fennimore will travel to the Darlington Invitational Saturday before traveling to Boscobel Tuesday afternoon.

Iowa–Grant Invitational
(from Saturday, Aug. 26 @ Livingston)
(Girls, 5,000 meters)
Team standings: 1.Tri-State Homeschool 37, 2.Prairie du Chien 59, 3.Reedsburg 71, 4.Iowa–Grant 83, 5.Southwestern/Cuba City/Benton 99, Fennimore inc., Shullsburg/Belmont inc.
Top individuals: 1.Ruah Franzmann-Simmert (TSHS) 20:32.8, 2.Hanna Martensen (SW/CC/B) 21:10.4, 3.Kate Pronschinske (TSHS) 22:59.6, 4.Julia Rohweder (Reedsburg) 23:37.5, 5.Tannah Radloff (PdC) 23:47.1.
Iowa–Grant (83): 11.Makaya McCarthy 25:26.3, 12.Meagan Cullen 25:49.4, 20.Lillian Warne 27:42.6, 22.Amiah Fisher 28:00.0, 23.Adrianne Jelle 28:04.1, 24.Rylee Stecklein 28:30.8, 37.Angelina Peat 31:16.0, 47.Abby Lee 36:50.6.
Fennimore (inc.): 9.Keira Kartman 24:49.8, 36.Julianne Washa 30:18.8.
(Boys, 5,000 meters)
Team standings: 1.Fennimore 28, 2.Iowa–Grant 72, 3.Reedsburg 74, 4.Southwestern/Cuba City/Benton 85, 5.Tri-State Home School 145, 6.Pecatonica/Argyle 155, 7.Prairie du Chien 156, Shullsburg/Belmont inc.
Top individuals: 1.Bret Connolly (IG) 17:53.7, 2.Isaac Henkel (Fen) 17:58.7, 3.Noah Wood (S/CC/B) 18:07.2, 4.Carter Bunn (Fen) 18:12.0, 5.Riley Foreyt 18:36.8.
Iowa–Grant (72): 1.Bret Connolly 17:53.7, 11.Noah Lange 19:21.6, 14.C.J. Straka 19:46.6, 16.Will Fulton 19:58.4, 33.Everett Zimmer 21:40.9, 34.Jason Bartolo-Garcia 21:47.8, 40.Myles Pettit 22:35.5, 50.Felix Bartolo-Garcia 24:22.2, 51.Connor Johnson 24:22.3, 59.Beckham Stecklein 25:11.7.
Fennimore (28): 2.Isaac Henkel 17:58.7, 4.Carter Bunn 18:12.0, 5.Riley Foreyt 18:36.8, 7.Nick Needham 18:49.9 10.Ben Varela 19:15.9, 13.Griffin Fry 19:16.9, 32.Orlando Bonilla 21:31.7, 47.Walker Wubben 23:51.3, 57.Asa Cutting 25:00.4, 70.Kobe Rosemeyer 29:44.6.