Washburn, City High Win Titles at Cedar Rapids Invitational
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
CEDAR RAPIDS – Ford Washburn felt fast on Thursday at the Cedar Rapids Invitational.
“Oh yeah,” Washburn said when asked if the course felt fast. “It felt really fast.”
It turns out the City High junior was historically fast.
Washburn shattered the course record at Seminole Valley Park on his way to winning the individual title at the 15-team Cedar Rapids Invitational in a personal best time of 15:27.89.
“I felt great, I knew it was fast,” Washburn said. “My pr was 16:10 for cross country so I didn’t really imagine I’d be setting any course records or anything.”
Washburn pulled away from Marion senior Shane Erb over the final 200 meters to claim the individual title.
His winning time was more than 11 seconds faster than previous course record of 15:39 set by Tysen Vandraska of Cedar Rapids Prairie in a state qualifying meet in 2015.
“That was a really, really good race,” Washburn said. “I’m really glad he ran with me he really pushed me hard. I would not have gone that hard if I didn’t have someone to push me.”
The individual title by Washburn was part of an impressive overall performance by Class 4A fourth-ranked City High.
City High put five runners in the top eight and cruised to the team title with 27 points, 30 points in front of Class 3A third-ranked Marion.
“They know they have the ability and training behind them so today was very good mental preparation,” City High coach Jayme Skay said. “We didn’t take anything off, there was no relaxing in training for so them to run this well and feel that good it means a lot to them.”
Washburn and Erb pulled away from the chase pack early.
At the two-mile mark it was clear that it was a two-person race.
And a fast one.
“I think I set almost a two-mile pr,” Washburn said. “I think my watch said 9:55.”
The race remained tight throughout with Washburn finally pulling away from Erb over the final 200 meters.
Erb, ranked eighth individually in Class 3A, finished runner-up in 15:29.46.
“With 100 or 200 to go I started sprinting and I just got that little edge,” Washburn said. “It was really close though, we were racing together the entire time.”
Erb got the best of Washburn during track season, coming from behind to win the 1,600 meter title at the Forward/Coleman Relays at City High.
Washburn knew another late kick was coming from Erb on Thursday.
“He outkicked me at our home meet in the 1,600 during track season,” Washburn said. “I didn’t want to let him outkick me again.”
City High showed strength throughout it’s lineup on Thursday with juniors Truman Thompson, Noah Carey and Ammon Smith placing fifth, sixth and seventh respectively while senior Parker Max was eighth.
Thompson finished fifth in 16:17.42 while Max was just more than 10 seconds back in eighth.
“To see that pack running that was kind of the plan,” Skay said. “Ford to go out and the pack to be right there and stay together because we have to have that number five.”
City High was eighth at the state meet last year with four sophomores in the lineup.
This season the Little Hawks believe they are title contenders.
“We want to win,” Washburn said. “We’ve been improving a lot so we figured this year after being all sophomores last year we should make a big jump this year.”
Cedar Rapids Invite
At Seminole Valley Park
Team scores – 1. City High 27; 2. Marion 57; 3. Cedar Rapids Prairie 81; 4. North Scott 116; 5. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 142; 6. Mount Vernon/Lisbon 179; 7. Bettendorf 225; 8. Waterloo West 228; 9. Davenport Central 269; 10. Muscatine 277; 11. Cedar Rapids Jefferson 287; 12. Clinton 318; 13. Cedar Rapids Washington 333; 14. Davenport North 340; 15. Davenport West 445.
Individual leaders – 1. Ford Washburn (ICH) 15:27.89; 2. Shane Erb (MAR) 15:29.46; 3. Jedidiah Osgood (MAR) 16:06.43; 4. Miles Wilson (CRK) 16:12.34; 5. Truman Thompson (ICH) 16:17.42; 6. Noah Carey (ICH) 16:18.91; 7. Ammon Smith (ICH) 16:25.87; 8. Parker Max (ICH) 16:27.87; 9. Bryson Canton (CRP) 16:34.89; 10. Anthony Lee (CRP) 16:34.87; 11. Logan Soedt (NS) 16:36.94; 12. Brady Cortez (CRP) 16:42.34; 13. Luke Crawford (NS) 16:43.02; 14. Andrew Congdon (WW) 16:44.52; 15. Jakob Regennitter (MAR) 16:46.07
City High (27) – 1. Ford Washburn 15:27.89; 5. Truman Thompson 16:17.42; 6. Noah Carey 16:18.91; 7. Ammon Smith 16:25.87; 8. Parker Max 16:27.87; 30. Braeden Marker 17:28.84; 38. Owyn Noble 17:40.42
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