Panther cross country racks up more wins
The Rugby Panthers Cross Country team added individual race wins to their season of team wins at the Griggs/Midkota Titan Invitational in Cooperstown Saturday, Sept. 4.
Fourteen teams participated in the meet, held at the Cooperstown Country Club. Rugby took first place in the girls’ varsity 5000-meter race and the girls’ junior varsity 3000-meter race. The Panthers varsity boys’ team took third place in their event, while the junior high boys took second place in their 3000-meter race.
The Cooperstown meet and a previous one in Carrington, held Aug. 31 were “good races,” coach Bill Jansen said.
The girls’ varsity race highlighted a rivalry between the two top finishers, Amelia Shepard and Brooklyn Bartsch, who have traded top spots since the girls were in seventh grade. Shepard, a freshman at Rugby High, took first place in the Cooperstown varsity race with a time of 20 minutes, 28 seconds, while Bartsch, also a freshman, finished in second place with a finish time of 20:42.
“We encourage them to not only compete against other teams but to use each other to get better at practice and meets. It is a great plus when you have multiple athletes that are very good and can work together to get better,” Jansen said.
On the boys’ side, Austin Dibble, who made the 2020 North Dakota All-State Class B team, continued to improve his personal best times. He finished ahead of the pack in 18 minutes, nine seconds. “Austin and the boys team have run some good races and are getting better,” Jansen said. “We need to continue improving and be running at a high level at the end of the season.”
Rugby results for the Griggs/Midkota Titan Invitational results:
Girls’ Varsity 5000-Meters:
Shepard, first place, 20:28; Bartsch, second place, 20:42; Hannah Senechal, sixth place, 21:19; Evyn Jacobson, 11th place, 22:20; Jaelyn Lunde, 14th place, 22:31; Ashlyn Dibble, 17th place, 22:57; Quinn Neppl, 21st place, 23:45; Mikaylee Livedalen, 25th place, 24:24; Keyara Lundstrom, 26th place, 24:30; Mauvlyn Kirchofner, 27th place, 24:42; Kinsey Arnston, 35th place, 25:54; Jaclyn Duchscher, 36th place, 26:02; Sara Schmaltz, 40th place, 27:09; Rylie Suchor 46th place, 27:44; Rylah Hager, 56th place, 30:00.
Boys’ Varsity 5000-Meters:
Dibble, first place, 18:09; Jenner Johnson, 16th place, 19:55; Connor Klein, 24th place, 20:49; Connor Ramsey, 26th place, 20:54; Andrew Duchscher, 29th place, 21:04; Maddex Kirchofner, 30th place, 21:07; Wyatt Oppen, 37th place, 21:44; Riley Odden, 39th place, 21:55; Brayden Green, 42nd place, 22:10; Kristian Fritz, 43rd place, 22:21; Andrew Duchscher, 52nd place, 23:27.
Girls’ Junior Varsity 3000-Meters:
Mya McNeff, seventh place, 14:18; Jesse Wolf, eighth place, 14:32; Tressa Arnston, ninth place, 14:55; Sophie Oppen, 11th place, 15:03; Haylee Jundt, 19th place, 17:36.
Girls’ Junior High 3000-Meters:
Jozie Tofte, 13th place, 14:39; Livvy Johnson, 16th place, 14:57; Ava Wurgler, 21st place, 15:23.
Boys’ Junior High 3000-Meters:
Brayden Herman, fourth place, 13:13; Damien Herman, 11th place, 13:50; Kiefer Fritz, 12th place, 13:53; Jaxon Heilman 14th place, 13:58.