Washburn, Little Hawks Have Fun While Winning Bud Williams Invitational Title
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
IOWA CITY – As Ford Washburn approached the halfway point of the Bud Williams Invitational on Thursday the City High junior standout approached a group of supporters offering words of encouragement.
With a broad grin on his face Washburn raised both fists into the air and with acknowledged the cheering section with his own scream of satisfaction.
Washburn was just having fun.
After all fun is what makes Washburn enjoy running.
“I don’t think I would have as much of a passion for running if I didn’t have fun while I did it,” Washburn said. “I felt really good during that race and I was just super hyped up and was having fun.”
Washburn has been having plenty of fun on the course this season.
He added an individual title at his home meet to an already stellar junior season on Thursday winning the Bud Williams Invitational in a time of 16:31.75.
“I felt really good today,” Washburn said. “The last 800 I just took off and I felt amazing.”
The individual title from Washburn helped Class 4A fourth-ranked City High claim the team title at its own invitational.
City High had four runners finish in the top 10 while finishing with 36 points to outdistance No. 15 Cedar Rapids Prairie by 13 points.
No. 14 Ankeny Centennial was third with 85 followed by 2A top-ranked Danville/New London with 113 and 3A No. 12 Clear Creek Amana with 141.
“We have a lot of guys who enjoy the competition and they strive to be better than each other and I think that’s great for the team,” Washburn said. “That really motivates us.”
Washburn was in cruise control mode early before pulling away from the field over the final two miles.
He finished more than 30 seconds in front of Ty Carr of Danville/New London who was runner-up in a time of 17:01.94.
“It was pretty hot so I definitely took it slower for the first mile, I decided to chill out,” Washburn said. “There were a couple of guys ahead of me. I just felt fine so right after that mile I took over and felt great doing it.”
Washburn had company in the top 10 on Thursday.
Teammate Noah Carey was sixth in 17:22.99 while Ammon Smith was eighth in 17:31.5 and Truman Thompson was ninth in 17:31.54.
“In these races we run as a pack and that’s because in workouts we run as a pack as well,” Carey said. “During training the fact that we want to be together makes us really be together in races.”
Half of the top 14 finishers on Thursday were Little Hawks.
Braeden Marker was 12th in 17:40.23, Sullivan Hall 13th in 17:43.45 and Parker Max 14th in 17:43.56.
That balance and depth of talent is part of what Washburn believes makes City High a 4A title contender.
“I would say that we have definitely improved,” Washburn said. “Our one through five have been solid the whole season we have just been trying to get a six and seven that are pretty good and I think lately they have been improving and they are getting a lot better.”
Bud Williams Invitational
At Kickers Soccer Complex
Team scores – 1. City High 36; 2. Cedar Rapids Prairie 49; 3. Ankeny Centennial 85; 4. Danville/New London 113; 5. Clear Creek Amana 141; 6. Dubuque Senior 175; 7. Pleasant Valley 199; 8. Cedar Rapids Jefferson 221; 9. Liberty High 230; 10. Ottumwa 262; 11. Pekin 288
Individual leaders – 1. Ford Washburn (ICH) 16:31.75; 2. Ty Carr (D/NL) 17:01.94; 3. Anthony Lee (CRP) 17:09.6; 4. Brady Cortez (CRP) 17:13.62; 5. Bryson Canton (CRP) 17:16.55; 6. Noah Carey (ICH) 17:22.99; 7. Karsten Peters (AC) 17:24.41; 8. Ammon Smith (ICH) 17:31.5; 9. Truman Thompson (ICH) 17:31.54; 10. Tyler Schermerhorn (AC) 17:39.66; 11. Gavin Zillyette (CCA) 17:40.06; 12. Braeden Marker (ICH) 17:40.23; 13. Sullivan Hall (ICH) 17:43.45; 14. Parker Max (ICH) 17:43.56; 15. Cooper Majors (AC) 17:50.57
City High (36) – 1. Ford Washburn 16:31.75; 6. Noah Carey 17:22.99; 8. Ammon Smith (ICH) 17:31.5; 9. Truman Thompson 17:31.54; 12. Braeden Marker (ICH) 17:40.23; 13. Sullivan Hall 17:43.45; 14. Parker Max 17:43.56.
Clear Creek Amana (141) – 11. Gavin Zillyette 17:40.06; 23. Jackson Schloss 18:24.9; 24. Brock Hilsman 18:27.06; 40. Cash Jensen 19:20.12; 43. Cameron Kimm 19:30.54; 51. Tate Schloss 20:03.31; 55. Fred Schultz 20:10.29
Did you enjoy this subscription free article? Help keep Your Prep Sports free by donating.
