TOWN OF MIFFLIN — The Iowa–Grant cross country team hosted the eight-team Iowa-Grant Invitational Saturday, Aug. 26.
Led by freshmen Ruah Franzmann-Simmert (1st, 20:32.8) and Kate Pronschinske (3rd, 22:59.6), senior captain Audrey North (8th, 24:34.2), freshman Audrey North (13th, 25:54.5) and sophomore Caitlyn Pratt (14th, 25:57.3), the Tri-State Homeschool team won the girls title with 37 points.
“We had a great opening meet of the season running for the first time at the Iowa Grant invitational,” said TSHS head coach Reka Wunderlin. “We have some very promising freshmen and they did a great job with the 5K distance. Our girls team won the varsity title in large part due to the effort of our three freshman. Incredibly, Ruah also set a new school record with her first high school performance with a time of 20:32.
Senior newcomer Makaya McCarthy led the way for the host Panthers, running 25:26 in her first race to place 11th. Fellow senior Meagan Cullen finished 12th at 25:49.4 to help the IG girls to a fourth-place team finish with 83 points.
“Out of the eight girls that ran for IG on Saturday, five were new to cross country,” said IG head coach Jake Winkler. “It was a great first meet to be able to get a baseline, and now we have something to build off. Getting the first race out of the way helps the girls better understand what it is we’re training for and to shake off the nerves that come with doing something completely new. As the team takes shape, it will be fun to see how they push each other in practice and in races.
Juniors Maggie Wedig (28th, 29:18.7) and Allie Walker (48th, 37:14.9) were the only Shullsburg/Belmont girls who raced on Saturday.
In the boys’ race, Iowa–Grant junior Bret Connolly jumped out with the front pack right away and ultimately won the boys’ race with a time of 17:53.7 ahead of Fennimore junior Isaac Henkle (17:58.7).
But Connolly’s winning effort wasn’t enough to claim a team victory over the Golden Eagles, who placed five in the top 10 finishers to easily dominate the runner-up Panthers for the team title 28–72.
Iowa–Grant beat Fennimore a year ago for the SWAL boys conference title and both teams went on to qualify for the WIAA D3 state meet. IG finished third, while the Eagles placed 14th at last year’s state meet.
“I know Bret has been putting in a lot of work and is extremely motivated” said coach Winkler. “It was great seeing our other returning runners step into some new roles as well, with Noah Lange, C.J. Straka, and Will Fulton finishing next for us.”
Lange (11th, 19:21.6), Straka (14th, 19:46.6) and Fulton (16th, 19:58.4) turned in top-20 runs for the home team.
“We’re really counting on our four returning runners to have big years, along with our new guys having a quick learning curve,” added Winkler. “I’m really excited about the potential with this group. The Fennimore boys captured the team title, and I think really sent a message that they want to be the top of the conference this year. They had a great pack that we need to do a much better job of breaking up. I think Fennimore had some great momentum coming off their 1st place finish in the 4x800 at state and used that as motivation to bring it into the cross country season. This meet will serve as great motivation for us to close the gap with Fennimore.”
Seniors Michael-Rhett Gilbertson (23rd, 20:38.8) and Titus Wunderlin (25th, 20:58.1) to lead the Tri-State Homeschool boys’ team to a fifth-place team finish with 145 points.
Carter Kettler (27th, 21:03.9), junior Tucker Kettler (35th, 21:50.2), sophomore Ian Austin (52nd, 24:30.7) and freshman Gabe Wedig (53rd, 24:31.3) were the only Shullsburg/Belmont boys who ran at IG.
The S/B co-op raced at Wauzeka–Steuben Tuesday and when then travel to Darlington Saturday.
Iowa–Grant will also compete at the Darlington Invitational this weekend.
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.
Shullsburg/Belmont (inc.): 28.Maggie Wedig 29:18.7, 48.Allie Walker 37:14.9.
Tri-State Home School (37): 1.Ruah Franzmann-Simmert 20:31.8, 3.Kate Pronschinske 22:59.6, 8.Audrey North 24:34.2, 12.Katie McGuire 25:54.5, 13.Caitlyn Pratt 25:57.3, 26.Josie Statz Lauper 29:02.63, 30.Franny Burns 29:27.4, 39.Lilly Stader 31:28.4, 44.Deborah Pulver 35:42.0, 45.Miriam Runde 35.58.1.
(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.
Shullsburg/Belmont (inc.): 35.Tucker Kettler 21:50.2, 52.Ian Austin 24:30.7, 53.Gabe Wedig 24:31.3,
Tri-State Home School (145): 23.Michael-Rhett Gilbertson 20:38.8, 25.Titus Wunderlin 20:58.1, 30.Zeme Franzmann-Simmert 21:21.7, 36.Ben Pratt 21:52.9, 41.Dominik Langston 22:46.0, 48.Vince Langston 23:52.4, 55.Nehmiah Cartwright 24:44.5, 56.Silas Klar 24:48.9.
