WAMEGO — Jack Adams was eyeing a school record, but had to “settle” for a state medal.
The Iola High senior was gunning for Keil Regehr’s 1997 school record at the Kansas Class 4A State Cross Country Meet.
Regehr had run the 5K course at the Wamego Country Club in 17 minutes, 2 seconds.
Adams, contending with a brutal south wind and one of the most competitive races of his career, finished in 17:24.
While expressing disappointment he couldn’t catch Regehr’s mark, Adams expressed relief his cross country days are complete.
“It still hasn’t sunk in that it was my last race,” Adams said this morning.
Adams took 11th in the race, which featured three runners eclipsing the 16-minute mark, to lead the Mustang contingent.
Marv Smith, IHS cross country coach, said “had the weather cooperated, I have every confidence Jack would have broken 17 minutes.”
On the girls side, Iola was led by junior Josie Plumlee, who finished 54th at 23:39.00
Adams and Plumlee noted the hilly course in Wamego proved a challenge.
“Going up every hill was like going into a brick wall,” Plumlee said, particularly with the wind, which featured gusts of over 20 mph. “We don’t even see a hill all season.”
Regardless, Adams counts the Wamego course as his favorite.
Adams spent most of the race in a cluster of three runners, before making his typical late-race charge to finish ahead of both of his nearest challengers.
“This is definitely one of the more competitive races,” he said. “I like having runners to go against.”
Other finishers for the Mustangs were sophomore Jesse Taylor in 43rd, senior Riley Jay in 57th, sophomores Kaster Trabuc and Eli Adams in 65th and 75th, respectively, senior Nathan Louk in 82nd and junior Drake DeLaTorre in 92nd.
