INDEPENDENCE For the second time this season, both the Iola Mustangs and Fillies cross country teams came away from a meet with team gold medals at Sycamore Golf Course in Independence. Five Iola boys finished in the top eight runners in their race and all seven of the Iola girls finished in the top 12 in their race, each easily securing the win. Both junior varsity teams also earned gold in dominant fashion.
Both teams have finished in first place in three out of four meets (not including Rim Rock where they finished 10th and 11th respectively against a loaded field from multiple states). The fourth time, each team finished second.
The boys finished second at Central Heights after losing some runners to sickness and injury and the girls got caught in the first meet of the year by a Fort Scott team who was running on their home course and had finished third at state last season.
Both teams are also still missing key varsity runners (Trenton Varney for the boys and Kelsey Morrison for the girls) who are out with sickness and injury, respectively.
Elka Billings once again led the way for the Iola girls, finishing second with a time of 20:35, finishing only behind an Independence runner whose favored to take first at the 4A State Cross Country meet. Elysia Kunkler finished about a minute behind in fourth place with a time of 21:39. Kunkler almost fell into fifth but managed to outpace an Independence runner in the final 400 meters to secure her place.
Rachel Bycroft finished sixth with a personal best time of 22:00, Ursula Billings ended up in eighth with a time of 22:23 and Josie Plumlee finished 10th (23:00). Averie Sharon (23:08) and Madisyn Holloway (whose time was not available) finished 11th and 12th.
Jack Adams led the way for the Iola boys with a second- place finish with a time of 17:45.
Cole Regehr finished fifth (18:11) with Elijah Fawson (18:15) and Bret Plumlee (18:16) finishing right behind in sixth and seventh place. Forty seconds later, Tavon Bass crossed in eighth place with a personal best time of 18:56 and Riley Jay finished 12th with a time of 19:11. Nathan Louk rounded out the bunch in 17th place with a time of 19:50.
The junior varsity girls comprised seven of the top 10 finishers led by Elaine Sturgeon who finished first with a time of 24:08. Audrey Coltrane finished second (24:28), Lorie Carpenter finished third (24:52), Ella Taylor finished fifth (26:30), Hannah Hall placed sixth (26:42) and Callie (26:46) and Jorja Murcko (26:59) finished ninth and 10th.
The junior varsity boys were led by Brett Morrison in first with a time of 20:21, Drake DeLatorre finished second (20:43), Cal Leonard finished fourth (21:40) and Blake Haar placed ninth (21:40). Henry Lohman finished 19th with a time of 23:00.
The Mustangs and Fillies will now look to defend their Pioneer League crowns this Thursday when they travel to Burlington for the league meet. The Iola boys have won league the past five years while the girls have won it the past two.
