Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

SOLON – There are plenty of people that view Jack Sexton’s rise toward the top of the Class 3A cross country rankings as a surprise.

Don’t include Sexton or Clear Creek Amana coach Ben Robison among those that see the surge from Sexton as a shock.

Sexton continued his breakthrough junior season on Monday cruising to the individual title at the Solon Invitational by more than 14 seconds on a hot and humid afternoon at the Solon Nature and Recreation Area.

It was the fourth consecutive top-two finish and second individual title in the last two weeks for the Clear Creek Amana junior who won the title at the Tipton Invite earlier this month.

“Not to gloat or anything but I feel like I did have this kind of potential,” Sexton said. “After track I started running immediately. I wasn’t happy with last year and I came out today and continued to prove myself.”

It makes sense why some would consider Sexton’s string of success somewhat surprising.

He was 47th overall at the state meet last season and spent most of the season as the Clippers third or fourth runner.

Rather than take a few weeks off following the end of the track season as he had in the past Sexton jumped full speed into cross country training immediately following the state track meet.

The results have followed in a big way this fall.

“I really think for probably all of our seven guys that the potential is pretty huge but Jack is just starting to figure it out a little bit faster than the other guys but man he is killing it,” Robison said. “I think he is motivated, I don’t think his track season finished the way he wanted it to and that kind of springboarded him into where he is at now.”

The breakthrough for Sexton came in the second meet of the season in the form of a runner-up finish at the Bob Brown Classic.

Since that meet Sexton has won two of three races and hasn’t finished outside of the top two.

“After Bob Brown, after that hot day when I finished second I felt it coming on,” Sexton said. “That was a confidence boost.”

A confident Sexton has become one of the top runners in Class 3A.

On Monday Sexton finished in 16:57, more than 14 seconds in front of Tipton sophomore Caleb Shumaker.

“Once he got a little taste of the top it’s hard to let go of that,” Robison said of Sexton. “I like him in a foot race over about anyone else in the state right now.”

The individual title by Sexton was part of a dominant performance by Class 3A fourth-ranked Clear Creek Amana.

The Clippers had five runners in the top 13 and cruised to the team title with 32 points.

Class 2A second-ranked Tipton was second with 61 followed by North Scott with 99, Liberty High with 116 and Mount Vernon-Lisbon with 124.

Host Solon was seventh with 169.

Sophomore Brandon Barker placed third for Clear Creek Amana in 17:21.3 and senior Cole Liebe was fourth in 17:22.9.

“Today they ran incredible tactical races,” Robison said. “They didn’t burn energy in the heat that they didn’t need and they are just figuring it out. There is so much I would like to take credit for but they are doing it themselves.”

Freshman Gavin Zillyette was 11th for Clear Creek Amana in 17:51.9 while sophomore Caleb Alcorn was 13th in 17:52.7.

It was the third consecutive team title for Clear Creek Amana which hasn’t finished outside of the top spot since a runner-up finish at the Bob Brown Classic on August 30.

“It definitely feels good but I’m more happy for my teammates,” Sexton said. “We came out here today and we ran great with the heat and everything. I just can’t thank them enough.”

Peter Woodward placed sixth in 17:34 to lead Liberty High while Solon freshman Gabe Hinman was 10th in 17:49.9.

Solon Invitational

Boys Results

Team scores – 1. Clear Creek Amana 32; 2. Tipton 61; 3. North Scott 99; 4. Liberty High 116; 5. Mount Vernon-Lisbon 124; 6. Williamsburg 169; 7. Solon 194; 8. Mid-Prairie 133; 9. Davenport North 236; 10. Central DeWitt 290; 11. West Liberty 300

Individual leaders – 1. Jack Sexton (CCA) 16:57; 2. Caleb Shumaker (TIP) 17:11.6; 3. Brandon Barker (CCA) 17:21.3; 4. Cole Liebe (CCA) 17:22.9; 5. Jackson Schrock (NS) 17:26.8; 6. Peter Woodward (ICL) 17:34; 7. Chase Porter (NS) 17:38.3; 8. Trent Pelzer (TIP) 17:41.8; 9. Matt Dibbern (DN) 17:42.1; 10. Gabe Hinman (SOL) 17:49.9

Clear Creek Amana – 1. Jack Sexton 16:57; 3. Brandon Barker 17:21.3; 4. Cole Liebe 17:22.9; 11. Gavin Zillyette 17:51.9; 13. Caleb Alcorn 17:52.7; 15. Nick O’Connor 17:55.3; 19. Kaden McAreavy 18:11.8

Solon – 10. Gabe Hinman 17:49.9; 40. Andrew Bransky 19:19.3; 41. Tyler Bilskie 19:21; 49. Edward Richey 19:37.5; 54. Ben DeValk 19:54.1; 55. Jake Roskopf 19:55.4; 56. Noelan Garbes 20:00.5

Liberty High – 6. Peter Woodward 17:34; 16. Jack Kinzer 17:59.6; 23. Henry Krain 18:19.2; 29. Caleb Schillinger 18:41.3; 42. Christian Montover 19:21; 50. Jack Abel 19:41.4; 53. Ethan Keeney 19:52.5