Comets host annual Trent Smith Memorial XC Invitational

By John Burbridge
sports@charlescitypress.com
CHARLES CITY — The fastest runners at Wildwood Golf Course during the Trent Smith Memorial Invitational were none of the competitors.

Though if they did compete, they would likely get disqualified providing if there is a rule that you can only run with two feet.

There were plenty of deer sightings during Thursday’s races as the animals have taken more of an assertive residence at the city park. While the middle school races were being held, about six deer were mulling around the fairways and greens that were part of the subsequent high school course, but scattered before the runners and their supporters spilled into the area.

As for the fastest runners on two feet, Charles City junior Kiki Connell was the fastest in the girls 11th-12th race.

Her winning 5K time of 20 minutes, 20 seconds was slower than her time of last week (19:48) when she placed runner-up to Emma Hoins of Waverly-Shell Rock. But on Thursday, Connell took a more aggressive approach and — unlike the deer, which tend to run together — she broke from the herd right from the start and never came close to relinquishing the lead.

“I wanted to attack the hills this time around,” Connell said. “I didn’t do it that well last week.”

A new 5K course has been laid at Wildwood. Connell says she likes it, but …
“I liked running down hill to pick up speed on the last course,” she said. “You don’t get many opportunities on the new course.”

The Trent Smith Invitational, which featured the Logan Luft Memorial Runs (middle school) and the TJ Houdek Memorial Runs (high school) are in memory of former Charles City cross country program runners who all died young in tragic accidents. Surviving members from the respective families were on hand to hand out awards to top placers in the races.

“Running this race puts me into a better mental state,” Connell said. “It makes me realize that this could be my last race, and I thank God for the opportunity to be able to do this, and be able to see and meet all the people out here.”

Charles City will host one more meet at Wildwood — the Northeast Iowa Conference Meet on Oct. 5.

Like last week, Thursday’s races once again were a reminder that cross country — though considered “safer” than some other sports, i.e. football — is still prone to hazards as there were back-to-back ambulance calls to the park for runners in need of medical assistance.

Trent Smith Memorial Cross Country Invitational
Sept. 5
AT WILDWOOD GOLF COURSE
TJ Houdek Memorial Runs
BOYS 11-12 TOP 20 (5K)
1. Christian Rodriquez (Mason City) 17:32, 2. Seth Hershey (SA) 17:32, 3. Emmett Schwartzhoff (South Winneshiek) 18:12, 4. Bryden Juelsgaard (Crestwood) 18:24, 5. Miguel Jaime (MC) 18:29, 6. Jamison Meyer (SW) 18:33, 7. Colby Wilkerson (North Butler) 18:38, 8. Bronson Forsyth (Charles City) 18:45, 9. Phillip Bachman (CC) 18:49, 10. Justin Nibaur (C) 18:53, 11. Claudio Mateo (MC) 18:54, 12. Luke Smith (CC) 18:54, 13. Alex Bauer (CC) 18:58, 14. Nathaniel Bigalk (C) 19:01, 15. David Johnson (MC) 19:01, 16. Zach Graeser (CC) 19:01, 17. Toby Conway (SW) 19:08, 18. Trevor Torkelson (MC) 19:13, 19. Hayden Pleggenkuhle (CC) 19:20, 20. John May (SA) 19:20.
GIRLS 11-12 TOP 20 (5K)
1. Kiki Connell (CC) 20:20, 2. Hannah Thomas (MC) 20:54, 3. Lindsey Davidson (Northwood-Kensett) 21:41, 4. Chloe Matthews (Nashua-Plainfield) 21:41, 5. Sami Miller (MC) 21:53, 6. Kori Wedeking (C) 22:01, 7. Rachel Steffen (C) 22:15, 8. Aubrey Eick (NP) 22:24, 9. Jaycie Byrne (Turkey Valley) 22:38, 10. Brycelyn Hanson (MC) 22:45, 11. Marcella Sierra (MC) 22:51, 12. Mackenzy Bilharz (CC) 23:04, 13. Addy Witt (SA) 22:11, 14. Ella Brown (SA) 23:23, 15. Selah Opp (CC) 23:38, 16. Clare Huisman (Osage) 23:38, 17. Ingrid Hernandez (CC) 23:40, 18. Brianna Ross (CC) 23:42, 19. Nora Suarez (MC) 23:44, 20. Libby Labosky (C) 23:45.
BOYS 9-10 TOP 20 (5K)
1. Riley Witt (SA) 17:44, 2. Marcello Bridges (CC) 18:25, 3. Kevin Carney (MC) 18:58, 4. Breyden Christensen (MC) 19:06, 5. Chance Adam (SW) 19:08, 6. Isaiah Kruckman (SW) 19:23, 7. Drake Tiedemann (NK) 19:31, 8. Cole Hansen (SA) 19:41, 9. Lane Kruger (MC) 19:43, 10. Tyler Eggers (CC) 19:59, 11. Jared Johnson (CC) 20:07, 12. Ethan Mast (C) 20:10, 13. Drew Wilken (NP) 20:11, 14. Kale DiMarco (MC) 20:25, 15. Michael Knock (NB) 20:27, 16. Clayton Rand (CC) 20:27, 17. Ethan Maldonado (SW) 20:32, 18. Owen Almelien (NB) 20:41, 19. Hunter Wagner (SW) 20:49, 20. Nick Rodriguez (CC) 21:11.
GIRLS 9-10 TOP 20 (5K)
1. Jalyssa Blazek (TV) 20:27, 2. Billie Wagner (SW) 20:35, 3. Lydia Staudt (CC) 21:37, 4. Katelyn Johnston (O) 22:01, 5. Olivia Ollendick (C) 22:01, 6. Jennah Carpenter (NP) 23:10, 7. Eryn abelka (SW) 23:29, 8. Megan Hageman (SW) 23:32, 9. Kendel Slavin (C) 23:39, 10. Kyleigh Foster (C) 24:17, 11. Kaylin Patten (CC) 24:18, 12. Tara Koshatka (C) 24:40, 13. O’Malley Fair (Riceville) 24:43, 14. Alexa Thyer (O) 24:44, 15. Talia Stangel (O) 24:44, 16. Cambree Kruse (TV) 25:19, 17. Avery Thompson (MC) 25:19, 18. Claire Eckenrod (CC) 25:32, 19. Ella Willey (SW) 25:37, 20. Ashlyn Hoeft (CC) 25:49.
Logan Luft Memorial Runs
BOYS MIDDLE SCHOOL TOP 20 (2M)
1. Xander Graeser (CC) 12:14, 2. Brandt Haakenstad (MC) 13:02, 3. Dominic Bigalk (C) 13:12, 4. Nick Williams (CC) 13:45, 5. Grant Zilka (Decorah) 13:47, 6. Caleb Zwelbohmer (R) 13:49, 7. Dylan Hjelle (MC) 13:51, 8. Landyn Hook (D) 14:01, 9. Shawn Peck (MC) 14:04, 10. Aidan Ebert (R) 14:04, 11. Aiden Feickert (SW) 14:05, 12. Isaac Knaack (D) 14:06, 13. Henry Weis (D) 14:08, 14. Zachary Zwanziger (NP) 14:09, 15. Davis Coppola (D) 16. Caden Branum (D) 14:11, 17. Isaac Thompson (CC) 14:12, 18. Aidan Naleam-Carlson (D) 14:17, 19. Johnny Adams (R) 14:38, 20. Lukas Arendt (D) 14:39.
GIRLS MIDDLE SCHOOL TOP 20 (2M)
1. Kadence Huck (NP) 13:43, 2. Laney Peter (C) 14:15, 3. Reggi Spotts (MC) 14:18, 4. Naomi Simon (D) 15:09, 5. Danielle Losen (D) 15:14, 6. Eillie Eick (NP) 15:16, 7. Becca Kane (D) 15:27, 8. Lauren Staudt (CC) 15:41, 9. Claire Schutte (D) 15:52, 10. Audra Mulholland (MC) 15:54, 11. Eleyna Hook (D) 15:56, 12. Savannah Davis (MC) 15:57, 13. Jenna Lemke (D) 16:03, 14. Gwenyth Thompson (D) 16:11, 15. Shelby Jochola (D) 16:14, 16. Madie Lensing (CC) 16:18, 17. Claudia Sewell (MC) 16:20, 18. Lauryn Halverson (MC) 16:35, 19. Mallory Van Fossen (CC) 16:38, 20. Natalie King (CC) 16:39.