Holst and Ruegnitz medal at meets
Jesse Polkinghorn ran a season best time—19:36.70—which was good for 11th place at the meet in Guttenberg. (Photos by Bev Hamann)
Alexis Thiese finished 22nd at last week’s race in Guttenberg, also setting a season best time.
Gavin Holst medaled in both of Central's meets last week.
Hannah Friedlein traverses the course at the Guttenberg Golf and Country Club on Sept. 10.
By Willis Patenaude | Times-Register
The Central cross country team had a pair of meets last week, starting in Clayton Ridge on Sept. 10, where the boys finished second behind Beckman Catholic, who is rated 17th in class 1A. The Warriors also beat their conference opponents, with an overall spread between the first and fifth runner under three minutes. Coach Mark Bauder said the goal moving forward is to decrease that number to under two minutes.
The Warriors came out of the meet with two medalists, Gavin Holst and Carson Ruegnitz. Holst crossed the finish line in fourth place, setting a course record for Central runners in 17:48.10. Ruegnitz achieved a career best 18:22.20 to finish seventh. Close behind in 11th was Jesse Polkinghorn, who earned a season best time of 19:36.70. Henry Reimer and Tyce Zittergruen were also among the top 20, finishing 18th and 20th, respectively.
Declan Finley ran a season best for 24th place, and Michael White crossed in 28th and Vaughn Zittergruen 29th. Breckon Holst was 44th, Carter Kruger 45th, Griffin Koehn 47th and Bryce Heller 57th. Zittergruen, White and Koehn all ran season best times.
The best finisher for the girls team was Blair Scherf, running in 14th place and setting a new course record for Central with a 24:38.70. Coral Rork was nine seconds behind her in 15th, for a season best time. Alexis Thiese finished 22nd, Aspen Rork 24th, Hannah Friedlein 28th, Lily Becwar 36th, Mya Gregerson 45th and Brooke Tieden 50th. Rork, Thiese, Friedlein, Becwar and Gregerson all ran season best times.
The Warriors traveled to West Union Sept. 12, for the Bob Scott Memorial Invitational. The boys continued their impressive run, finishing in fifth place with a score of 121, losing only to 2A and 3A teams while once again defeating all Upper Iowa Conference teams in the race.
Holst and Ruegnitz were medalists again, as Holst finished ninth with a course best 18:26.71. Ruegnitz was 14th with a course best time of 18:54.18. Polkinghorn placed 23rd, while Reimer was 34th, Tyce Zittergruen 45th, Finley 48th, Vaughn Zittergruen 56th, White 72nd, Heller 74th, Koehn 87th, Breckon Holst 90th and Kruger 98th. Heller, Reimer, Finley, Ruegnitz and Polkinghorn all had course best times.
The girls finished the invitational 10th out of 12 teams, with Scherf placing the highest in 37th with a season best time of 24:34.76. Coral Rork was next in 58th, followed by Thiese in 79th and Friedlein in 80th. Both Thiese and Friedlein finished with course best times. Aspen Rork placed 85th, while Becwar was 107th, Gregerson 128th and Tieden 135th.
The Warriors will run the home course this week at the Elkader Golf and Country Club on Thursday, Sept. 19, starting at 4:30 p.m.
