Schellhorn’s second place finish highlights conference meet for MFL MarMac
For MFL MarMac, the conference meet was highlighted by a second place finish for freshman Jacob Schellhorn. (Photos by Audrey Posten)
Sydney Moser’s 15th place effort earned her all-conference honors. The senior ran a time of 23:15.6, in just her first race of the season due to injury.
In addition to Schellhorn, MFL MarMac also boasted two other top-20 finishers, with junior Will Koether (left) placing 18th at 19:48.2 and freshman Tucker Ruff right behind him in 19th, after running the course in 19:51.2.
Abby Schellhorn came in 18th at the conference meet.
Senior Dusty Berns runs at the Upper Iowa Conference meet, in which the Bulldog boys placed fourth of six teams—just one point shy of third place South Winn.
Ruby Koeller took the 36th spot last Thursday.
Freshman Logan Ross turned in a time of 24:05.3, placing 39th.
Kaylee Nuehring (left) and Alexis Ross run together at the conference meet. Ross ended up placing 32nd and Nuehring 35th.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
The MFL MarMac boys and girls cross country teams ran in the Upper Iowa Conference meet at Silver Springs Golf Course in Ossian on Oct. 14, testing how they stack up against some of the top runners in northeast Iowa.
The highlight of the day was a second place individual finish for freshman Jacob Schellhorn—the highest conference placing for a Bulldog runner in recent memory. Last Thursday marked just the third race of the season for Schellhorn, who turned in a time of 18:15.2, but head coach Eric Koenig said he wasn’t surprised by the result.
“We were hoping for third,” Koenig shared. “This is only his third race, so it’s hard to judge, when he’s running against these kids, if he’ll get them or not. But he had it under control. We kind of found some weaknesses in the other kids too, for next week.”
MFL MarMac also boasted two other top-20 finishers, with junior Will Koether placing 18th at 19:48.2 and freshman Tucker Ruff right behind him in 19th, after running the course in 19:51.2. Senior Caleb Nordheim’s time of 20:23.9 ranked him 24th, while junior Bobby Kober was 29th at 21:20.5. Freshman Logan Ross turned in a time of 24:05.3, placing 39th, followed by senior Hunter Kugel in 44th place at 25:50.9.
The Bulldogs placed fourth of six teams, scoring 88 points. That was just one point behind third place South Winn. North Fayette Valley won the conference championship with a score of 35.
“I’m very pleased,” said Koenig. “That’s what happens when you can run everybody in a meet.”
On the girls side, Sydney Moser’s 15th place effort earned her all-conference honors. The senior ran a time of 23:15.6, in just her first race of the season due to injury.
“She finally got one under her belt, and she’ll run next week just fine,” Koenig said after the race.
Other top Bulldog finishers included senior Abby Schellhorn in 18th at 23:48.5 and freshman Evelyn Ruff in 22nd at 24:14.3. Sophomore Kaylee Walch crossed the finish line in 26:03.5, earning her the 30th spot, while junior Alexis Ross was a close 32nd with a time of 26:36.1. Sophomores Kaylee Nuehring and Ruby Koeller were 35th and 36th, respectively, with finishes of 27:36.2 and 27:40.8.
MFL MarMac totaled 108 points, putting the team fifth overall. South Winn took the top spot with a score of 42.
“They all ran really good times, and I’m pleased overall. As a girls team, we probably could have been third or fourth, but we were without Clare Grau,” said Koenig.
The sophomore was a state qualifier last year and was the girls’ best finisher in many races this season. Koenig said he was being cautious in keeping Grau out of the lineup.
“She ran with me before the meet and we did a mile and a half. She ran a good time,” he explained. “We’re saving her, to some extent, for [the district meet]. She has mostly foot problems.”
The Bulldogs will run in the district/state qualifying meet this Thursday, Oct. 21, at the Guttenberg Golf and Country Club. Koenig is ready to see how the athletes will perform.
“We’re there,” he said. “A good five days of practice will bring us that much closer.”
