Kiki Connell shows ‘heart and sole’ at state XC meet

Comet frosh places sixth while running with one shoe, helps CC girls take 5th as a team

By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com

FORT DODGE — Like Cinderella, Kiki Connell lost a shoe amidst a rush.

Rest assured, nothing turned into a pumpkin, Connell’s blazing orange Charles City Comet uniform withstanding. And though she ran most of Saturday’s State Cross Country Class 3A girls race with just a sock on her left foot, there was nothing slowing Connell down.

“I lost it in the first 200 meters,” Connell said of her wayward shoe, that somehow was recovered and returned after the Charles City freshman ran a personal best 5K time of 19 minutes, 4 seconds — good enough for sixth place in her first state XC high school meet.

“I just kept on going … there was no way to stop to put it back on,” Connell said. “After running without it for a while, I didn’t think about it anymore.”

“Shoeless” Joe Jackson, meet “Shoeless” or “One-Shoe” Kiki Connell.

“It has been one of my dreams and goals to get on the podium at the state meet,” Connell said. “I wasn’t going to let (losing a shoe) slow me down.”

Charles City fielded another medalist in junior Whitney Martin, who placed 14th with a time of 19:23.

It was a notable rebound for the Comet multi-state qualifier, who struggled nine days before at the West Delaware Qualifier.

“I just changed up the way I prepared and my strategy for this race,” Martin said. “Instead of starting out too fast, I wanted to work my up as the race went on.

“I love running with Kiki, but we’re two different types of runners.”

Charles City girls qualified as a team. And with sophomore MacKenzy Bilharz (20:21), freshman Adison Olson (20:48), junior Mariah McKenzie (21:02), senior Gillian King (21:23) and freshman Libbie McKeag (21:58), the Comets placed fifth (177 points) behind champion Wahlert (72 pts.), Pella (104), Decorah (150) and Dallas-Center-Grimes (157).

Charles City coach Amanda Rahmiller had said that a fifth-place showing — as well as fielding two Top 15 individual medalists — would have been reasonable goals for this year’s team. Last year, the Comets placed third at state, but graduated a Division 1 talent in McKayla Cole, who incidentally on the same day as state helped Northern Iowa place second at the Missouri Valley Conference XC Meet, and was subsequently named MVC Freshman of the Year.

The Comets also had the youngest team among the Top 10 state finishers.

Center Point-Urbana sophomore Adrianna Katcher repeated as the Class 3A girls champion with a time of 18:23 — 4 seconds faster than her winning time last year.

In the Class 3A boys race, Charles City’s four-time state qualifier Gavin Connell improved 22 seconds from last year and a whole minute from when he ran state as a sophomore as his 5K time of 16:57 was good enough for a career-best 36th place.

Charles City juniors Mason Deeter and Nick Litterer placed 46th (17:01) and 102nd (17:51), respectively, in their first state meet appearance.

Center Point-Urbana senior Myles Bach placed first with a time of 15:49, besting runner-up and last year’s champion, Marion senior Jeremy Fopman, by more than 5 seconds.

Gilbert was the Class 3A boys team champion with 75 points, well ahead or runner-up Dallas Center-Grimes (113 pts.) and Decorah (115 pts.).

Iowa State Cross Country Meet

Oct. 28

AT LAKESIDE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE

Class 3A Boys 5K Race

TEAM RESULT

1. Gilbert 75, 2. Dallas Center-Grimes 113, 3. Decorah 115, 4. Mount Vernon 145, 5. Grinnell 146, 6. Marion 189, 7. Carlisle 210, 8. Center Point-Urbana 222, 9. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 236, 10. Clear Creek-Amana 242, 11. Xavier 253, 12. Bondurant-Farrar 264, 13. Nevada 265, 14. Adm 282, 15. Clear Lake 290.

TOP 15 MEDALISTS

1. Myles Bach 15:49 (CPU), 2. Jeremy Fopma (M) 15:54, 3. Andrew Kephart (D) 16:04, 4. Thomas Clower (G) 16:11, 5. Miles Scott (SBL) 16:14, 6. Rees Tayler (Gi) 16:15, 7. Gus Hayes (D) 16:19, 8. Cody Mertens (Mount Pleasant) 16:26, 9. Malachi Hornbuckle (N) 16:28, 10. Nathan Patel (Gi) 16:29, 11. Nate Mueller (Adm) 16:30, 12. Trent O’Halloran (Gi) 16:33, 13. Patrick Gorkow (Benton Community) 16:34, 14. Harrison Vanderlinden (M) 16:35, 15. Payton Bahl (MVL) 16:40.

CHARLES CITY — 36. Gavin Connell 16:57, 46. Mason Deeter 17:01, 102. Nick Litterer 17:51.

Class 3A Girls 5K Race

TEAM RESULTS

1. Wahlert 72, 2. Pella 104, 3. Decorah 150, 4. Dallas Center-Grimes 157, 5. Charles City 177, 6. Bishop Heelan 184, 7. Humboldt 199, 8. North Polk 201, 9. Anamosa 207, 10. Ballard 227, 11. Benton Community 240, 12. Grinnell 258, 13. Denison-Schleswig 280, 14. Glenwood 294, 15. Spencer 324.

TOP 15 MEDALISTS

1. Adrianna Katcher (Center point-Urbana) 18:23, 2. Mary Blanchard (Gr) 18:35, 3. Gabby Moran (Wa) 18:44, 4. Sophia Gilbert (BC) 18:51, 5. Bryce Gidel (Hu) 18:59, 6. Kiki Connell (CC) 19:04, 7. Grace Herber (W) 19:05, 8. Katie Nimrod (D) 19:06, 9. Megan Sievers (Carlisle) 19:11, 10. Kaylee Osterberger (W) 19:13, 11. Caroline McMartin (P) 19:13, 12. Raegan Andersen (DS) 19:14, 13. Camille Mac (Iowa City, Liberty) 19:16, 14. Whitney Martin (CC) 19:23, 15. Amber Aesoph (BH) 19:25.

CHARLES CITY — 6. Connell, 14. Martin, 61. Mackenzy Bilharz 20:21, 81. Adison Olson 20:48, 100. Mariah McKenzie 21:02, 110. Gillian King 21:23, 129. Libbie McKeag 21:58.