GARNETT — Iola High’s Mustangs and Fillies returned to Garnett Country Club Friday to finish the 2010 Anderson County High Invitational cross country meet.
A thunderstorm halted the meet Thursday afternoon.
The Mustangs scored one less point than Santa Fe Trail. That was a good thing because in cross country low scores win.
Baldwin ran away with the boys’ varsity race with 36 points. DeSoto had 61 points for second.
Iola’s varsity finished with 110 points. Santa Fe Trail had 111. That meant the Mustangs took third and received third-place team medals.
Leading the way for the Mustangs was junior Roman Yocham who claimed fourth in the 5K race in 17 minutes, 55 seconds. Two other runners for Iola earned individual medals — freshman Trent Latta and sophomore Jordan Strickler.
Latta finished 20th in 19:24 and Strickler was 30th in 19:58. Senior Dylan Lower just missed medaling with a 31st placed in 20:09. Sophomore Garrett Catron was 42nd in 21:09 and senior Josh Klubek took 49th in 2140.
“Roman ran a good race though his pace dropped off on the last mile. He may have been too fast for the first mile,” said Margin Smith, IHS cross country coach.
“I wasn’t surprised by Trent’s race but his finish was awesome. He passed three runners going up hill and another one at the finish line. Jordan had an equally good race.”
In a strong varsity girls’ race, Iola High’s junior Sydney Owens ran the 4K distance in 20:28 for 35th place. Senior Leah Weir was 38th in 20:42.
Senior Jamie Spears ran her first ever cross country race and was 46th in 23:47.
“There were 15 schools but 15 of the first 16 places went to just three schools,” Smith said.
The Mustang junior varsity finished eighth. Christian Kauth, a junior, paced the Mustangs earning the 12th-place medal in 20:55. Junior Matthew Cunningham was 49th in 25:04.
Others placing for Iola were sophomore Jason Tidd, 50th, 25:06; sophomore Drew Smith, 57th, 26:28; senior Chris Michaels, 58th, 26:48.
The Iola runners go to Fort Scott Thursday.
Mustangs claim third-place medals
