Your Prep Sports

Two weeks ago it was high heat with temperatures over 90 degrees that challenged the Clear Creek Amana boys cross country team.

On Saturday at the North Linn Invitational it was rainy and muddy conditions awaiting the Clippers.

Neither set of weather conditions did much to throw Clear Creek Amana off course.

Despite the best efforts of Mother Nature the Clippers notched their seventh consecutive top two finish, placing second at the 21-team meet on a damp and muddy course at North Linn High School in Troy Mills.

Class 3A No. 7 Marion won the team title with 67 points while No. 10 Clear Creek Amana was second with 80.

2A second-ranked Tipton was third with 110 points followed by Williamsburg with 133 and Mount Pleasant with 134.

Solon finished 11th with 334 points and Regina was 12th with 381.

The Clippers had three runners in the top 15 led by sophomore Nick O’Connor who placed seventh in 17:13.

Freshman Brandon Barker was ninth in 17:17 and junior Cole Liebe was 15th in 17:35.

Sophomore Jack Sexton added a 16th place finish in 17:37.

Ethan Kober finished 54th in 18:36 to lead Solon while Nathan Meyer was 21st in 17:50 to pace Regina.

North Linn Invitational

At North Linn High School in Troy Mills

Team scores – 1. Marion 67; 2. Clear Creek Amana 80; 3. Tipton 110; 4. Williamsburg 133; 5. Mount Pleasant 134; 6. South Winneshiek 155; 7. Benton Community 188; 8. Starmont 194; 9. Vinton-Shellsburg 204; 10. Hudson 209; 11. Solon 334; 12. Regina 381; 13. Maquoketa Valley 383; 14. Cascade 405; 15. Grundy Center/Gladbrook-Reinbeck 408; 16. North Linn 434; 17. Bellevue Marquette 465; 18. Jesup 483; 19. Alburnett 528; 20. Independence 589; 21. Isaac Newton Christian Academy 689.

Individual Results – 1. Jeremy Fopma (MAR) 15:58; 2. Cody Mertens (MP) 16:42; 3. Wyatt Kelly (HUD) 16:47; 4. Derek Dietzenbach (SW) 17:07; 5. Ben Lamparek (WB) 17:08; 6. Kyle Vanderham (MP) 17:10; 7. Nick O’Connor (CCA) 17:13; 8. Ben Ellis (TIP) 17:15; 9. Brandon Barker (CCA) 17:17; 10. Harrison Vanderlinden (MAR) 17:18.

Clear Creek Amana – 7. Nick O’Connor 17:13; 9. Brandon Barker 17:17; 15. Cole Liebe 17:35; 16. Jack Sexton 17:37; 33. Caleb Alcorn 18:04; 57. Kaden McAreavy 18:39; 71. Brandon McCarty 18:56.

Solon – 54. Ethan Kober 18:36; 60. Payton Philipp 18:44; 65. Tyler Bilskie 18:50; 73. Andrew Bransky 19:01; 82. Edward Richey 19:17; 89. Ben DeValk 19:24; 95. Kenji Fisher 19:39. 

Regina – 21. Nathan Meyer 17:50; 62. Anthony Knepper 18:45; 91. Michael Dunn 19:27; 101. Robert Beck 19:49; 106. Nicholas Yowell 20:05; 109. Zach Kratz 20:19; 118. Ethan Boileau 20:34.  

Solon Finishes Third at North Linn

Kiersten Conway placed ninth to lead Solon to a third-place team finish at the North Linn Invitational on Saturday in Troy Mills.

Benton Community won the team title with 103 points while Marion was second with 112 and Solon was third with 114. Regina placed seventh with 185.

Conway led three Solon runners that finished in the top 25, placing ninth in a time of 20:44.

Erin Kerkhoff was 22nd in 21:24 and Ella Duster was 25th in 21:27.

Molly Vittetoe placed 11th in 20:58 to lead Regina while Kennedy Scott was 24th in 21:27.

North Linn Invitational

At North Linn High School in Troy Mills

Team scores – 1. Benton Community 103; 2. Marion 112; 3. Solon 114; 4. Williamsburg 147; 5. Hudson 153; 6. Cascade 164; 7. Regina 185; 8. Mount Pleasant 198; 9. South Winneshiek 205; 10. Bellevue Marquette 225; 11. Grundy Center/Gladbrook-Reinbeck 247; 12. Jesup 308; 13. Tipton 320; 14. North Linn 326; 15. Starmont 415; 16. Independence 428; 17. Vinton-Shellsburg 433.

Individual results – 1. Sophia Gilbert (BC) 19:16; 2. Felicity Taylor (SW) 19:40; 3. Madeline Rhomberg (CAS) 20:05; 4. Abby Ryon (MP) 20:09; 5. Jenna Twait (HUD) 20:28; 6. Halle Kilburg (BM) 20:33; 7. Hallie Kephart (MAR) 20:38; 8. Megan Rathjen (WB) 20:43; 9. Kiersten Conway (SOL) 20:44; 10. Lily Ehlers (GC/GR) 20:53.

Solon – 9. Kiersten Conway 20:44; 22. Erin Kerkhoff 21:24; 25. Ella Duster 21:27; 26. Sophie Nicol 21:31; 32. Nicole Shafer 21:46; 52. Saige Hauer 22:24; 68. Ashley Stinocher 23:03.

Regina – 11. Molly Vittetoe 20:58; 24. Kennedy Scott 21:27; 39. Lauren Gaarde 21:56; 40. Nourah Abusada 21:56; 71. Mary Catherine Graff 23:06; 80. Bree Balke 23:21; 82. Emma Welter 23:32.