Pleasanton runner breaks record; Jayhawk, Buffalo runners improve times

When you know, you know. Blu-Jay runner Myles Alvarez raises his arms in celebration as he crosses the finish line in a school-recordbreaking finish in the 5K cross country race at Sugar Valley. (Photos by Billy Roudybush / Journal contributor)

MOUND CITY – Pleasanton junior Myles Alvarez on Thursday, Oct. 9, continued to slash seconds off his time as the season is drawing to a close. Runners from both Jayhawk-Linn and Prairie View continue to show improvement as well.League meets are set for this Thursday, Oct. 16, with the regionals now less than two weeks away.

Team from all three schools from Linn County gathered at the Sugar Valley golf course to participate in the Coach Chet Hunter Invitational Meet. The cross country course winds all around the sloping golf course. The runners had a real challeng

e with some steep hills and a very long uphill stretch prior to winding around toward the finish.

In the girls’ 5,000-meter 25-10-09varsity run, Mariella Gilmore from St. Mary’s Colgan came in first with a time of 18:46.48.

***Lilly Meyer on her way to a medal.***

Prairie View’s Laramie Stevens came in seventh with a time of 20:33.54. Not far behind, teammate Demi Isenhower came in 10th with a time of 20:47.65. Time for other Prairie View girls included Lilly Petric, 23:02; Marley Johnson, 24:12; and Ella Steinlee, 24:28.

Lilly Meyer made sure that Jayhawk-Linn had someone in the medal group. She finished 13th with a time of 21:12.19. Not far behind her was teammate Adeline Randall, coming in 18th with a time of 21:35.70. Times for their teammates included Gabby Brake, 21:55; Allie Thomas, 22:47; and Haelie Wallace, 22:48.

***Prairie View's Demi Isenhower on her way to a 10th place finish and a medal at the meet.***

Jayhawk girls placed fourth in team standings with a combined score of 86 points. The Prairie View girls team wasn’t far behind with 95 points and fifth-place finish. The St. Mary’s Colgan team placed first with a score of 39.

Baileigh Lister was the sole Pleasanton runner on the girls team. She competed in the junior varsity race and had a time of 31:27.

The boys varsity race came up next. Following what is becoming a consistent strategy, Alvarez ran toward the front to stay with the leaders. Alvarez’s effort brought him a third-place finish with a new personal and school record time of 16:19.68.

St. Mary's Colgan runner Colton Smithhisler won the 5,000-meter race with a time of 15:45.49.

Alvarez’s only teammate in the varsity run was Benson Meik, who finished with a time 21:30.

***Louis Shillito earns a medal for his ninth place finish at the Jayhawks' home meet.***

The Jayhawk-Linn boys had a good showing as they had three in the top group. Louis Shillito came in ninth at 17:16:44. Kollyn Malinowski came in 15th with a time of 17:31.70. Martin Shillito was close with a 17th-place finish with a time of 17:39.48.

Three other Jayhawks placed 26th, 28th, and 29th. Those runners were Daniel Brake, 18:34; Landon Higgins, 18:45; and Jaden Mayhugh, 18:45.

Jayhawk-Linn’s James Spitzenberger, a senior, wanted to run this race. He had hurt his ankle but he was not going to be denied completing his home school’s cross country course. Despite running injured, he turned in a time of 26:23.

The Jayhawk boys team earned a fourth-place finish with a score of 75, just behind St. Mary’s Colgan. Girard’s team won the race with a score of 58.

For the Buffalos, sophomore Breckyn Malin came in 16th with a time of 17:36.49. Sophomore Ethan Teagarden and freshman Liam Newman came in 34th and 35th respectively. Ayden Green finished with a time of 20:39. The Buffalos lacked the required minimum five runners for a team score.