MFL MarMac runners test themselves against strong competition
Cora Keehner placed 28th individually and was part of a team effort to secure third place for MFL MarMac at the Waukon Invitational. (Photo by Kaitlyn Kuehl-Berns)
By Audrey Posten | Times-Register
MFL MarMac cross country continued to perform well last week in two meets with stiff competition.
The Bulldog girls, who are now ranked 16th in Class 2A, placed third in the varsity race at the Waukon Invitational on Sept. 23, their 91 points trailing only Decorah’s 30 and Waukon’s 57. Decorah is ranked ninth in Class 3A and Waukon sixth in 2A.
Junior McKenna Kozelka, herself ranked 24th individually in Class 2A, continued to lead the charge with a fifth place finish. Her time was 20:54.7. Brooke Donlon hit the line 23rd on a time of 22:25.5, followed by Charlotte Meyer in 26th with a 22:51.3. Cora Keehner and Evie Fritz were a respective 28th and 29th with times of 23:09.9 and 23:11.3, while Brooklyn Landt posted a 23:31.7 for 32nd place and Taryn Moser was 46th with a 25:15.4.
MFL MarMac also placed third in the JV girls race—again behind Decorah and Waukon. That included a pair of top 10s from Aaliyah Corcoran and Skylar Fisk, who placed fourth and 10th, respectively. Corcoran did so with a 23:20.4 time and Fisk at 24:13.3. Emma Koether was next in 17th, crossing the line in 25:30.9, then Kacie Picha was 24th with a 26:01.2 and Sam Ruff 36th with a 26:40.6. Lauryn Sandstrom earned 51st on a time of 28:10.1, Emma Driscoll was 53rd at 28:13.5, Charlotte Koether 65th at 29:13.9, Jerica Wille 71st at 31:21.3 and Mariah Moser 79th at 35:51.5.
Four Bulldogs competed in the JV boys race, where Trace Moser posted a time of 20:47.8 for 22nd place. Jude Onken placed 33rd after completing the course in 21:48.6, then Adian Reynolds was 41st with a 22:19.2. A time of 23:27.7 helped Wolfgang Martins-Sabrina finish 54th.
In the Sam Iverson Invitational at Grundy Center on Sept. 25, the MFL MarMac girls varsity team combined for a score of 117 for fourth place. Sumner-Fredericksburg, the top-ranked team in Class 1A, won the meet with a 74. Jesup and Grundy Center, who are ranked just ahead of the Bulldogs in Class 2A, filled second and third with scores of 81 and 87.
Kozelka continued her run of top-10 finishes, crossing the line in 21:12.19 for sixth place. Donlon worked her way to 14th on a time of 22:25.33, then Meyer was 25th with a 23:01.61. Fritz posted a 23:21.52, good for 33rd place, followed by Keehner in 41st with a 23:51.14 and Landt 44th with a 24:01.00. Moser completed the race in 24:25.92, landing her in 49th.
The Bulldogs girls JV also placed fourth as a team, their score of 95 just behind Charles City at 92. Grundy Center took the top spot at 40 and Hudson was second at 51.
Emma Koether and Corcoran were the winner and runner-up in that division, turning in respective times of 24:10.78 and 24:28.82. A 28:28.18 ranked Charlotte Koether 29th, while Picha placed 32nd on a 28:50.98. Kaylee Hoth, Driscoll and Sandstrom filled spots 46 through 48 on times of 32:10.38, 32:10.88 and 32:20.95.
Three MFL MarMac runners competed in the JV boys race, led by Onken and Reynolds in second and third place. Onken earned a time of 21:09.12 and Reynolds came in at 21:36.27. Payton Schultz returned to action with a 30:09.64, placing him 24th.
The Bulldogs will continue to test themselves against strong competition this week, running at Jesup on Sept. 30.
