Panthers boys XC places first at Carrington, breaks top five in coaches’ poll
The Rugby Panthers cross country teams rose to the top again when the boys’ varsity squad placed first at the Carrington Invitational Meet on Aug. 30 at Cross Roads Golf Course in Carrington.
Rugby’s Austin Dibble placed first in the varsity boys’ 5,000-meter run with a time of 17 minutes, 37 seconds, more than 10 seconds ahead of second-place runner Mason Christianson of Langdon Area.
Also finishing in the top ten in the event were Gunnar Larson, with a ninth-place time of 19:17, and Jenner Johnson, with a tenth-place time of 19:21.
Seventeen class B teams from throughout the state participated in the meet.
Rugby’s girls finished in second place as a team, edged out by Valley City.
Amelia Shepard finished in third place with a time of 21:07 in the girls’ 5,000-meter run.
Shepard was one of four finishers for Rugby in the top 10. Just behind her were Hannah Senechal, who finished fourth with a time of 21:26, and Brooklyn Bartsch, with a fifth-place time of 21:43.
Evyn Jacobson logged a ninth-place time of 22:12 for the Panthers.
Among junior varsity teams, the Panthers girls’ squad took second place in the 3,000-meter run, while the boys placed tenth in their 3,000-meter run.
“Both teams ran well and are improving,” Panthers Cross Country Head Coach Bill Jansen said of the Carrington meet.
“Austin and Amelia are leading the way and what we need is the rest of their teams to start closing the gap,” Jansen said in an email Sept. 1.
“Saturday in Cooperstown will give us a better idea of where we stand in the region and give us a chance to run against some people we haven’t run against yet this season,” Jansen added.
The Panthers traveled to Cooperstown Sept. 3 for the Griggs County Central Meet.
In an Aug. 31 North Dakota Cross Country Coaches’ Poll, the Rugby Panthers held the number one spot for a second week in a row among girls’ teams, while the Panthers broke into the top five among boys’ teams, ranked in fifth place behind Kindred.
The poll ranked Dibble number seven among boys and Shepard as number five among girls for class B individuals in the state.
Results from the Carrington Invitational were:
Varsity Girls’ 5,000-meters run: Amelia Shepard, third place, 21:07; Hannah Senechal, fourth place, 21:26; Brooklyn Bartsch, fifth place, 21:43; Evyn Jacobson, ninth place, 22:12; Jaelyn Lunde, 16th place, 23:25; Kendyl Hager, 18th place, 23:29; Keyara Lundstrom, 19th place, 23:33; Mikaylee Livedalen, 25th place, 23:55; Mya McNeff, 26th place, 23:58; Mauvlyn Kirchofner, 36th place, 25:14.
Varsity Boys’ 5,000-meters run: Austin Dibble, first place, 17:37; Gunnar Larson, ninth place, 19:17; Jenner Johnson, 10th place, 19:21; Brayden Green, 19th place, 20:05; Andrew Duchscher, 27th place, 20:54; Maddex Kirchofner, 29th place, 20:59; Connor Klein, 30th place, 21:02; Austin Duchscher, 38th place, 21:42; Wyatt Oppen, 42nd place, 21:52.
Junior High/JV Girls’ 3,000-meters run: Sara Schmaltz, third place, 12:47; Kathryn Kuntz, sixth place, 13:11; Kinsey Arnston, 29th place, 14:26; Rylah Hager, 30th place, 14:38; Tressa Arnston, 36ht place, 15:05; Ava Wurgler, 39th place, 16:02; Reagan Hager, 47th place, 16:16; Jaclyn Duchscher, 48th place, 16:18; Livvy Johnson, 49th place, 16:21.
Junior High/JV Boys’ 3,000-meters run: Sawyer Brossart, 14th place, 12:17; Damien Herman, 28th place, 13:40; Dane Whorley, 30th place, 13:44; Liam Wurgler, 70th place, 17:07; Kallen Azure, 76th place, 19:20.