Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

IOWA CITY – Nick O’Connor and Brandon Barker spent much of last season battling for the spot in front of the Clear Creek Amana pack.

On Thursday another Clipper proved capable of leading the way.

Junior Jack Sexton placed second at the Bob Brown Cross Country Classic at Kickers Soccer Complex in Iowa City leading Class 3A second-ranked Clear Creek Amana to a runner-up finish with 50 points.

Sexton led three Clippers in the top five as O’Connor was fourth and Barker fifth.

“They are so competitive in such a good way with each other that they don’t want to lose to each one another,” Clear Creek Amana coach Ben Robison said. “Their training is right on with each other there is no reason they are not packed like that all the time.”  

Clear Creek Amana finished with 50 points, 12 behind Class 3A sixth-ranked Marion.

Liberty High was eighth with 194 points, Solon was ninth with 236 points while host Regina was 12th with 362.

Coming off a fifth-place finish at its season-opening meet at Cedar Rapids Prairie on Saturday, Clear Creek Amana had five runners finish in the top 24.  

“The first three or four meets, especially tonight it is all about how we compete,” Robison said. “It’s not about result, it’s not about time it’s all about how we compete. They are doing their job, they are doing exactly what they are supposed to do so we are in a great spot.”

Perhaps no Clipper competed better on Thursday than Sexton.

The junior raced past Tipton sophomore Caleb Shumaker over the final 200 meters to secure an individual runner-up finish in 17:46.1.

Marion senior Harrison Vanderlind won the individual title in 17:21.34

“I’ve raced against (Caleb) Schumaker a couple of times and I think he’s beat me a couple of times,” Sexton said. “I wasn’t going to let that happen again and I just came in down the stretch and was able to beat him.”
O’Connor placed fourth in 17:53.26 and Barker was just two seconds off that pace at 17:55.35.

“My legs were pretty heavy coming into the race,” Sexton said. “Me, Nick and Barker came out and did in our race and at the end I was just able to kick it in.”
Senior Cole Liebe was 15th in 18:26.17 and freshman Gavin Zillyette placed 24th for the Clippers in 18:45.7.

Senior Kaden McAreavy, a regular top-five finishes for the Clippers was hurt by a stumble that resulted in a lost shoe while placing 48th in 19:47.06.

“With Kaden going down that’s one of those crazy things that you can’t plan on but they competed really well,” Robisons said. “We definitely had a huge, huge training week and they were complaining of dead legs today and that’s good. We are right where we need to be and I’m thrilled where we are at.”
Junior Peter Woodward placed 25th in a time of 18:47.88 to pace Liberty High and Solon was led by sophomore Gabe Hinman who was 31st in 19:03.38.

Freshman Jacob Barnett led Regina by placing 67th in a time of 20:49.28.

Bob Brown Cross Country Classic

Boys

Team Scores – 1. Marion 38; 2. Clear Creek Amana 50; 3. Western Dubuque 96; 4. Tipton 97; 5. Calamus-Wheatland 132; 6. Mount Vernon-Lisbon 145; 7. Monticello 166; 8. Liberty High 194; 9. Solon 236; 10. Wilton 316; 11. West Liberty 348; 12. Regina 362; 13. Columbus 376

Individual leaders – 1. Harrison Vanderlind (MAR) 17:21.34; 2. Jack Sexton (CCA) 17:46.1; 3. Caleb Shumaker (TIP) 17:46.65; 4. Nick O’Connor (CCA) 17:53.26; 5. Brandon Barker (CCA) 17:55.35; 6. Gaven Hiler (MAR) 18:02.83; 7. Will Hernandez (MAR) 18:05.12; 8. Trent Pelzer (TIP) 18:07.46; 9. Hunter Rickels (C-W) 18:11.18; 10. Cole Hemann (MAR) 18:11.48

Clear Creek Amana – 2. Jack Sexton 17:46.1; 4. Nick O’Connor 17:53.26; 5. Brandon Barker 17:55.35; 15. Cole Liebe 18:26.17; 24. Gavin Zillyette 18:45.7; 29. Caleb Acorn 19:02.32; 47. Brandon McCarty 19:45.61  

Solon – 31. Gabe Hinman 19:03.38; 46. Andrew Bransky 19:45.4; 48. Tyler Bilskie 19:47.86; 55. Brad Yeomans 20:08.94; 56. Edward Richey 20:09.4; 58. Jake Roskopf 20:17.5; 62. Ben DeValk 20:27.3

Liberty High – 25. Peter Woodward 18:47.88; 30. Jack Kinzer 19:02.64; 40. Henry Krain 19:28.55; 49. Jack Abel 19:48.44; 50. Caleb Schillinger 19:54.53; 57. Spencer Knight 20:14.48; 61. Christian Montover 20:26.23

Regina – 67. Jacob Barnett 20:49.28; 71. Zach Kratz 21:27.05; 73. Ethan Boileau 21:56.51; 75. Adam Boblenz 22:19.82; 76. Nick Kratz 22:20.23; 81. Nicholas Abusad 24:20.68; 82. Jack Keating 24:38.62