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Seven area runners post top 20 times at state cross country meet: McCook’s Sughroue places 37th in Class B; Perkins County, Dundy County-Stratton boys 1-2
KEARNEY -- Seven Southwest Nebraska runners placed in the top 15 of their races at the Nebraska state boys and girls cross country championships Friday and earned medals.
The meet was hosted by the University of Nebraska-Kearney.
In the Class D boys 5K race, Dundy County-Stratton’s Brandon Shirkey and Jared Shillington placed third and sixth with times of 17 minutes, 18.3 seconds and 17:27.86.
Maywood’s Ryan Hazen finished fourth with a time of 17:25.48.
Perkins County’s Josh Wall placed 10th with a time of 18:00.93 and teammate Drew Mayer placed 16th with a time of 18:10.16.
In the Class D girls 4K race, Southwest’s Layne McConville placed sixth with a time of 16:28.53. Chase County’s Caroline Kunneman was 12th with a time of 16:45.47.
McCook’s lone runner in the Class B girls 4K race was freshman Jessa Sughroue, who placed 37th with a time of 16:54.72.
McCook cross country coach Tom Sughroue was proud of what Jessa Sughroue accomplished the state meet.
“Jessa did the best she could do,” said Tom Sughroue. “She could not have given any more that what she did today.”
“With 1,500 left to go, she came over the hill and looked good, she looked comfortable. But it was a tough field -- she was running against the best runners in the state.”
“She was pretty nervous before the race so this is a good learning experience for her as a freshman. She needs to learn how to harness that nervous andrenalin and use it for her advantage.
“Running is as much mental as physical, you’re constantly battling your body to keep going. The race today was a good testament that it hurts to run.
“It was a good ending to a good day. She’s not going to be happy with her race but that’s what drives competitors to do better. This is a tough course -- I’ve seen some pretty rough finishes.
Perkins County captured the Class D boys state championship with 48 points.
The Plainsmen edged out Dundy County-Statton. The Tigers placed second with 52 points.
In addition to Wall’s 10th-place effort and Drew Mayer’s 16th-place finish, Perkins County's Brad Mayer placed 23rd and Ryan Pankonin 25th for the Plainsmen's first title.
The Eustis-Farnam girls placed fifth in Class D with 107 points.
The Cambridge boys and girls cross country teams were represented at state by two freshmen.
Brian Custer finished 74th out of 120 with a time of 19:43 and freshman Danielle Carpenter finished 78th out of 124 with a time of 18:20.
Carpenter and Custer placed in the top 15 at least five times this season while each winning more than five medals.
"Danielle and Brian both had the goal to make it to state so that was an accomplishment in itself," said Cambridge cross country coach Sara Schuelke.
"They may not have reached their goals for the meet, but they competed with everything they had.
“It was definitely a good experience for them. They have had a tremendous season and I look forward to coaching them next year."
Other boys team champions were Omaha Benson, Class A; Lincoln Pius X, Class B; and Norfolk Catholic, Class C.
Girls team champions were Omaha Marian, Class A; Lincoln Pius X, Class B; Fort Calhoun, Class C; and Crofton, Class D.
Individual boys state champions were Fremont’s Jon Ronhovde, Class A, 16:11.22; Plattsmouth’s Adam Mitteis, Class B, 16:17.13; Minden’s Al Sanabria, Class C, 16:41.26; and Deshler’s Jens School, 17:03.26.
Individual girls state champions were Millard North’s Emily Sisson, Class A, 14:25.18; Sidney’s Kaitlyn Wells, Class B, 15:42.91; Broken Bow’s Katelyn White, Class C, 15:26.39; and Bayard’s Amy Long, Class D, 15:27.07.
Long won her second state title in three years. She finished ahead of Kearney Catholic’s Erica Harnik.
Area results state
cross country meet
Class B girls
37.Jessa Sughroue, McCook, 16:54.72.
Class D boys
3.Brandon Shirkey, Dundy County-Stratton, 17:18.3
4.Ryan Hazen, Maywood, 17:25.48
6.Jared Shillington, DCS, 17:27.86
10.Josh Wall, Perkins County, 18:00.93
16.Drew Mayer, PC, 18:10.16
23.Brad Mayer, PC, 18:26.05
25.Ryan Pankonin, PC, 18:32.3
27.Kyle Thomas, DCS, 18:34.68
37.Preston Bernhardt, Chase County, 18:56.32
44.Brandon Craddock, DCS, 19:04.65
71.Tanner Nelson, DCS, 19:36.41
74.Brian Custer, Cambridge, 19:43.5
99.Grant Jones, DCS, 20:22.31
100.Josh Sexson, PC, 20:22.75
104.Michael Stapleton, Arapahoe, 20:37.23
111.Michael Lierley, PC, 21:33.13
Class D girls
6.Layne McConville, Southwest, 16:28.53
12.Caroline Kunneman, CC, 16:45.47
32.Johanna Nutt, Eustis-Farnam, 17:20.48
36.Jasmine Khamouna, EF, 17:22.75
48.Jobi Hasenauer, Maywood, 17:41.43
54.Taylor Martin, EF, 17:51.1
60.Emily Ringleman, CC, 17:54.56
74.Erin Sheffield, EF, 18:16.53
78.Danielle Carpenter, Cam, 18:20.94
89.Jessica Madron, EF, 18:32.47
97.Catherine Paulsen, Ara, 18:45.98
103.Leah Keller, EF, 18:53.74