Both GHV cross country teams place second at B-K Meet

A tough Osage program cost the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura/West Hancock cross country teams two championships.  Osage beat both the boys and the girls teams at the Belmond-Klemme Invitational held on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

The boys lost to the Green Devils by only four points in the eight-team field.  Osage was first with 40 points, followed by GHV with 44, Clear Lake with 89 and Eagle Grove was fourth with 107 points. 

Joel Toppin led the boys with a second place finish in 16:31.  Chase Smith wasn’t far behind Toppin, finishing in fourth place with a time of 16:59.  Rounding out the varsity score was Derek Brown, 11th, 18:12; Logan Dalbeck, 12th, 18:13; and A.J. Arnold, 15th, 18:35.

“The guys ran good, but Osage ran better,” said Coach Jeff Short.  “The competition will make us better for the rest of the year.”

The girls, who were running without one of their top performers, Tiara Van Gerpen, still managed to place second with 48 points.  Osage won the meet with 42 points.  Eagle Grove was third with 105, followed by Clear Lake with 108.  Eight teams competed in the girl’s division.

Three Cardinal runners placed in the top five.  Maria Gonzalez was second with a time of 18:16, followed by Maddie Tusha, fourth, 18:43 and Maribel Zamago, fifth, 18:47.  Also placing for GHV were Kelly Anderson, 14th, with a time of 19:19, and Bri Bier, 23rd, with a time of 20:29.

“The girls ran well for the condition of the day.  The added pressure of running without one of our top runners is good for the rest of the team,” said Short.

The Cardinals will participate in the Clear Lake meet at the Baptist Camp on Thursday, Sept. 19.