The Power of Nature at Spring Green
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A loud bang, the dam bursts, blue liquid tumbles and boils down the streambed and all is swept aside. Fifteen minutes later, a little tongue of water reaches out miles from the site of the event and wets the earth. A new river flows and life follows.
That's what a cross country race looks like! And, none so much as the middle school competition. Hundreds of bodies blocked behind a long white line, building up energy, exerting pressure on the invisible dam as the starter counts down to zero. Then a mass of mid-sized sprinters, each expecting to win the race. A few moments later a line snakes a half-mile across the Spring Green Municipal Golf Course; prancing leaders in front, jogging survivors in the rear. Our New Glarus-Monticello runners spread out within the middle of the flow over the 3000-meter course. A few finish ahead of our youngsters and many behind. The first wave includes Adam Nelson (5th in 11:22) and Mason Martinson (11th in 11:39), then Mason Thompson, Lucas and Griffin Ness in the twelves; Ryan Austin, Garrett Grossen, Simon Blohowiah, Cole Maynard, Kellan Zweifel, Molly Molencamp (18th girl in 13:23) and Desi Delforge in the thirteens; Jill Marty (14:51), Deedra Delforge (16:02), Sara McNulty (16:16) and Samantha Burgess (17:41) finish in mid-pack with dozens behind. The boys place fifth and the girls 17th of 20 middle school teams.
Varsity boys place 7th of 20 teams: Kyle Fredrickson (18:28), Christian Arnett (18:45), Max Cruse (19:19), Ben Jackson (20:00), Colin McNulty (20:33), Andrew Newberry (20:39) and Cade Beutler (20:50).
Junior varsity boys also place seventh, but out of 41 teams since all JV teams run together: Nathan Heberer (21:59), Levi Dearth (22:15), Jonathan Truttmann (22:15), Cole Runde (23:14) and Sam Austin (24:25).
Marie Thurow
Runners line up and get ready to go at the River Valley Cross Country Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Varsity girls end up 8th of 20, with the best performance by Gabbie Sawyer (21:22) placing 12th overall then Ashley Risley (22:29), Jane Thurow (23:39), Kelly Fredrickson (23:46), Rebecca Barr (24:07), Walela Three-Sticks (24:28) and Kerry McCoy (25:04).
The JV girls rule the day with fifth of 41 teams! Jenna Molencamp (24:45) leads with Gabby Whisler (25:04), Tamara Elzen (26:36), Georgianna Xistris-Songpanya (26:37), Sydney Stecha (27:39) and Lily McGowen (27:48) in supporting roles.
The NGM'ers stream off to Marshall on Tuesday, with middle schoolers flowing from Marshall on Tuesday to Mount Horeb on Thursday and Belleville on Saturday. And like the CC season..."The river plunged down in a long waterfall, splashing into several rocky pools on its way down the cliff." ― Alison Croggon, The Naming.
