Hilsman Helps Clear Creek Amana to Runner-up Finish at WAMAC Conference Meet
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
IOWA CITY – Clear Creek Amana had a calculated two-word strategy for the WAMAC Conference meet.
“We wanted to run reckless,” Clear Creek Amana senior Brock Hilsman explained. “But cautious.”
Cautiously reckless. It’s catchy.
For the Clippers it was effective.
Hilsman led a trio of Clippers in the top-10 as Class 3A seventh-ranked Clear Creek Amana finished runner-up at the WAMAC Conference meet at Antioch Church in Marion.
Eighth-ranked Grinnell won the conference crown with 50 points, just six in front of Clear Creek Amana which finished five points in front of fourth-ranked Mount Vernon-Lisbon in a competitive top-three.
“We wanted to go out hard and run with Grinnell and Mount Vernon as close as we could because we had nothing to lose today,” Hilsman said. “We wanted to be reckless but make sure we were still being smart.”
Hilsman led the Clear Creek Amana charge finishing a career-best fourth in a time of 16:43.4 in his final WAMAC Conference meet performance.
The fourth-place finish comes after Hilsman finished 14th and ninth at the conference meet the previous two seasons.
“Last year in September I think I was too worried about my times that just kind of threw me off,” Hilsman said. “This year I’ve tried to with the flow more and just trust the process and trust the training. I think this year I’m more comfortable.”
Fellow senior Isaac Sorensen joined Hilsman in the top 10 placing ninth in 17:05.5.
Between the two seniors was standout freshman Carson Meskimen who placed eighth in 17:03.6 in his debut at the conference meet.
“Our coaches talked about going out strong, reckless but cautious,” Meskimen said. “We wanted to lay it out there but being careful while doing it.”
It was a solid team effort from Clear Creek Amana on Thursday.
Junior Nic Schieltz finished 15th in a time of 17:25.6 and freshman Kyle Vogel placed 24th in 17:48.3.
“Coach told us to be reckless but smart,” Sorensen said. “We wanted to be carefully reckless. We didn’t have anything to lose coming in. We weren’t supposed to win this meet so just wanted to go out and give it all we can.”
Clear Creek Amana will be attempting to secure a spot at the 3A state meet next Wednesday at the 3A district meet at Waverly.
“I think we are in a good spot,” Sorensen said. “We trusted the training, we know coach is doing the best for us and we are trusting the peak in the next two weeks.”
Solon finished sixth with 162 points and was led by an 11th place finish by freshman Anders Holmes in a time of 17:07.
Class 3A third-ranked Solon had three runners finish in the top 10 in the girls race on its way to a runner-up finish with 76 points.
Second-ranked Mount Vernon-Lisbon won the team title with 53 points followed by Solon, 3A ninth-ranked Marion was third with 93 points and 3A No. 16 Clear Creek Amana was fourth with 109.
Solon senior Sydney Dee placed fourth in a time of 19:46.6 while freshmen Kinley Mai and Liv Nelson each added top 10 finishes for the Spartans.
Mai was sixth in 19:49.3 and Nelson was ninth in 20:02.
Kira Barker finished 16th in a time of 20:34.7 to lead Clear Creek Amana while senior Sara Kinzenbaw was 19th in 20:49.7 and Raegan Wyant was 20th in 20:50.7.
Boys Results
WAMAC Conference Meet
At Antioch Church in Marion
Team scores – 1. Grinnell 50; 2. Clear Creek Amana 56; 3. Mount Vernon-Lisbon 61; 4. Williamsburg 125; 5. Vinton-Shellsburg 132; 6. Solon 162; 7. Center Point-Urbana 188; 8. Marion 201; 9. West Delaware 244; 10. Benton Community 248; 11. Independence 322
Individual leaders – 1. Grady Olberding (MV-L) 15:47.9; 2. Alex Torres (V-S) 16:01.2; 3. Dawson Scheil (MV-L) 16:18.6; 4. Brock Hilsman (CCA) 16:43.4; 5. Liam Crites (GRI) 16:44.2; 6. Cadel Conner (GRI) 16:44.2; 7. Barrett Jesina (ST) 16:58.7; 8. Carson Meskimen (CCA) 17:03.6; 9. Isaac Sorensen (CCA) 17:05.5; 10. Carter Easton (CP-U) 17:05.9; 11. Anders Holmes (SOL) 17:07; 12. Harrison Laug (GRI) 17:12.1; 13. Isaac Sandquist (GRI) 17:22; 14. Zachary Dickinson (V-S) 17:23.2; 15. Nic Schieltz (CCA) 17:25.6
Clear Creek Amana (56) – 4. Brock Hilsman 16:43.4; 8. Carson Meskimen 17:03.6; 9. Isaac Sorensen 17:05.5; 15. Nic Schieltz 17:25.6; 24. Kyle Vogel 17:48.3; 26. Micah Johnson 17:55; 28. Jackson VanHorn 18:02.2
Solon (162) – 11. Anders Holmes 17:07; 33. Rene Meza 18:13.5; 37. Deacon Waddell 18:22.1; 39. Preston Raasch 18:30.4; 47. Owen Young 18:53.3; 53. Camden Lyons 19:12.4
Girls Results
WAMAC Conference Meet
At Antioch Church in Marion
Team scores – 1. Mount Vernon-Lisbon 53; 2. Solon 76; 3. Marion 93; 4. Clear Creek Amana 109; 5. Center Point-Urbana 113; 6. Williamsburg 126; 7. West Delaware 201; 8. Vinton-Shellsburg 206; 9. Benton Community 228; 10. Grinnell 259
Individual leaders – 1. Grace Estling (CP-U) 18:55.7; 2. Evelyn Moeller (MV-L) 19:14.7; 3. Kiersten Swart (MV-L) 19:36.5; 4. Sydney Dee (SOL) 19:46.6; 5. Channing Becker (WIL) 19:48.5; 6. Kinley Mai (SOL) 19:49.3; 7. Kyliee Zylstra (GRI) 19:52.3; 8. Addison Dabroski (MAR) 19:55.1; 9. Liv Nelson (SOL) 19:02; 10. Kyra Cordes (MAR) 20:05.3; 11. Brynn Kartman (WD) 20:10.4; 12. Olivia Primrose (V-S) 20:11.3; 13. Edith Dawson (MV-L) 20:13.8; 14. Sydney McCormick (CP-U) 20:21.8; 15. Elise Moore (MAR) 20:28.1
Solon (76) – 4. Sydney Dee 19:46.6; 6. Kinley Mai 19:49.3; 9. Liv Nelson 20:02; 26. Ella Cheeley 21:15.5; 31. Ava Rolwes 21:36.7; 33. Addison Seamans 21:46.1
Clear Creek Amana (109) – 16. Kira Barker 20:34.7; 19. Sara Kinzenbaw 20:49.7; 20. Raegan Wyant 20:50.7; 24. Kadence Whitmer 21:07.9; 30. Kelsey Leathers 21:32; 39. Eva Leighton-Dick 22:28; 41. Keira Rosenberg 22:36.3
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