Our eyes pop as we roll into Belleville. The sun shines on a cross country course groomed as never before. The grassy path appears short and freshly mowed, white lines guide the runners along the entire 5 kilometer race, long stretches of yellow and blue pennants mark the turns, tall poles sport red (go left) and yellow (go right) flags at each turn. The challenge remains hidden: the hill in the woods. Twice the athletes slip up the dirt path and twice they descend the rocky, root strewn backside before breaking out of the woods and returning to fast grass-ways.

Sophomore Lily Maynard (21:00) finds herself running in front by mile one, and two miles later opening a 25 second gap as she sprints across the finish line. Dayna Karls (21:55) nails down the #4 spot, Annika Ziperski (22:20) #7 then Mel Fink (22:26), Tenley Faber (22:27), Lucy Melvin (22:37) and Emma Martinson (22:55) complete the race packed close together. With that tight grouping, the New Glarus-Monticello varsity girls earn 28 points for a clear victory over Evansville and the ten other teams at the Belleville Wildcat Cross Country Invitational.

The NGM varsity boys encounter tough competition. The fellows seem to be in control as Tom Nelson (17:53) and Evan Guenther (18:24) finish ahead of the first Evansville boy, and Braylon Hoesly (18:55) slips in front of his Evansville guy by 0.60 seconds. With three guys across the finish line we total 14 points to Evansville's 23, but they place two more in front of Brayden Ryan (19:07) and two more in front of our Ian Schwartzlow (19:36) and Linden Lounsbury (19:45) to even the score. Twelve teams race today and the outcome will be determined by the athletes on other teams coming between us and the Blue Devils. The awards ceremony occurs almost two hours after this race and that's a long time to wait for the results. When the announcer says "in second place...Evansville with 49 points" we cheer. We cheer out of sportsmanship but, also, out of relief since we're the only team remaining so we've won. Our 46 points produces a 3-point victory.

Evansville extracts revenge on the junior varsity guys as Owen Runkle (21:08), Ben Collins (21:49), Collin Blum (22:45), Aiden Runkle (23:42), Ian Vinson (24:05), Ray Valentine (26:56) and Landon Schneeberg (30:04) are pushed into second place with the Blue Devils' 17 points. Our 62 still defeats Beloit Turner, Belleville and all other teams.

The JV ladies' 18 points leave no doubt as to their ability. Cam Arnett (23:32), Ruthie Zuber (24:55), Hannah Boldebuck (26:32), Eve MacLean (27:07) and Sophie Stecha (27:36) only allow two competitors to finish among our scoring five. Another group of NGM JVs finish third overall as Ella Skidmore (29:29) with Devi Duerst (30:05), Alaina Smith (30:43), Delaney Karls (33:25), Abi Burke (33:28) and Amalia Morrison (36:14) make up our second team of younger runners.

Photo courtesy of Karen Guenther

NGM's Lily Maynard finishes 25 seconds ahead of the number two runner.

This Saturday, the Fennimore Hickory Grove golf course beckons. Unlike Belleville, the hills remain carpeted in lush turf, and unlike Belleville, a dozen hills rather than two challenge the runners. Let's hope that Mel Finks' Saturday remark is repeated: "Belleville's course was definitely more challenging than the last couple of races we've had, but I feel that our team does well on hills because of the training we did all summer."