Runs in the Family

College coach helps son reach 5K milestone

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com.

CHARLES CITY — Curtis Vais gave his son Jacob a little encouraging push near the end of the Charley Western Trail Firecracker 5K race on Monday.

Jacob responded by leaving his father in the dust.

“I told him to get under 20 minutes he’d have to sprint through the finish,” Curtis said.

That’s what Jacob did on way to recording a time of 19 minutes, 55 seconds while winning the Male 14-and-Under division and placing fourth overall.

His father was right behind — or more like 24 seconds behind  — for fifth place overall.

“I’ve run (5K races) before, but this was the first time I did one under 20 minutes,” said Jacob, who just finished his sixth-grade year at Charles City Middle School.

“Next year he’ll be running for his school for the first time,” Curtis said.

Maybe someday Jacob will be running for his father, who is the head track coach at Northern Iowa Area Community College.

One Firecracker participant who is no longer running for Vais at NIACC is Jacob Day, who was the overall 5K winner with a time of 15:45.

“I didn’t know if I could get under 16 today,” Day said. “My training has been light so far this summer, but I’m starting to pick it up.”

Day recently finished his career at NIACC by placing fifth in the 10,000-meter run at the NJCAA Division 1 Outdoor Track and Field Nationals. Two weeks ago, he decided to return to NCAA Division 1 competition with the Univiersity of Northern Iowa cross country and track programs.

Day had started his college career at UNI before a partially torn achilles tendon plagued his freshman year.

“It just feels like home for me,” Day said of UNI, “and I feel like I’m returning home.”

Day still holds several Charles City High School distance records. But in the coming years they may be challenged by Comet underclassman Gavin Connell, who won the Firecracker 5-mile race with a dominating time of 30:01 — Todd Larson was a distant second at 34:30.

Whitney Martin, another budding Comet distance star, was the overall female champion in the 5-mile run with a time of 37:26.

Kiki Connell was the overall 5K female champion (21:08).

Running

Charley Western Trail
Firecracker 5K and 5M

July 4

Overall 5K Winners

Jacob Day (M) 15:45, Kiki Connell (F) 21:08

5K Age Group Medalists

MALE 14U — 1. Jacob Vais 19:55, 2. Phillip Bachman 21:39, 3. Nick Williams 22:23.

FEMALE 14U — 1. Kiki Connell 21:08, 2. Kendall Mallaro 24:17, 3. Madison Lensing 26:04.

MALE 15-19 — 1. John Kraft 17:08, 2. Mason Deeter 18:48, 3. Andrew Schon 27:17.

FEMALE 15-19 — 1. Helen Yusko 25:17, 2. Jessica Bigelow 28:25,.

MALE 20-24 — 1. Jacob Day 15:45, 2. Lucas Johnson 21:57.

FEMALE 20-24 — 1. Hannah Mallaro 26:11, 2. Sarah Miller 28:25, 3. Michelle Schnath 33:01.

MALE 25-29 — 1. Jacob Wessling 26:21.

FEMALE 25-29 — 1. Sarah Eggena 27:27, 2. Sarah Blockenderfer 31:39, 3. Stacy Stearns 40:48.

MALE 30-34 — 1. Chad Weber 22:46, 2. Mark Lynch 23:13, 3. Tyson Roberts 32:47.

FEMALE 30-34 — 1. Lezlie McCrabb 30:40, 2. Allison Frerichs 35:42, 3. Cassandra Lane 36:14.

MALE 35-39 — 1. Curtis Vais 20:19, 2. Ben McCandles 21:37, 3. Matt Williams 22:05.

FEMALE 35-39 — 1. Karen Aimelien 24:43, 2. Correne Larsen 27:17, 3. Kim Christiansen 29:36.

MALE 40-44 — 1. Jesse Zachary 21:41, 2. Todd Prichard 28:22, 3. Darin Crooks 37:38.

FEMALE 40-44 — 1. Jenna Haglund 24:10, 2. June Vogleman 37:02, 3. Jennifer Schafer 41:32.

MALE 45-49 — 1. Brian Watkins 21:16, 2. Erik Hoefer 27:06.

FEMALE 45-49 — 1. Kristi Quade-Wiedrich 29:40, 2. Angie Holzer 32:09, 3. Sarah Hawker 32:21.

MALE 50-54 — 1. David Lohse 22:28, 2. Randy Zipsie 23:40, 3. Eucuides Fortunato 26:16.

FEMALE 50-54 — 1. Jackie Cuningham 29:56, 2. Laura Wallace 30:43.

MALE 55-59 — 1. Richard Kammerer 21:12, 2. Ron Lerasen 24:04, 3.Steve Wandro 24:57.

FEMALE 55-59 — 1. Ruth Kipp 33:42, 2. AnneLundquist 34:40, 3. Julie Offerman 48:23.

MALE 60+ — 1. Mike Staudt 27:58, 2. Gary Quint 47:19.

FEMALE 60+ — 1. Rita Sanner 37:45, 2. Diane Kelleher 56:03, 3. Deb Bonzer 1:00.24.

Overall 5-Mile Winners

Gavin Connell (M) 30:01, Whitney Martin (F) 37:26.

5M Age Group Medalists

FEMALE 14U — 1. Whitney Martin 37:26.

MALE 15-19 — 1. Gavin Connell 30:01.

FEMALE 15-19 — 1. Sarah Turpen 37:38.

FEMALE 20-24 — 1. Katie Carsky 39:12, 2. Sophia Mallaro 42:16.

MALE 25-29 — 1. Jacob Buss 37:03.

FEMALE 25-29 — 1. Liz Juchems 47:16.

MALE 30-34 — 1. Jason Herrick 35:12, 2. Brian Haeflinger 37:25, 3. Nat Juchems 39:44.

FEMALE 30-34 — 1. Megan Blickenderfer 40:31, 2. Kelsi Koenigsfeld 45:01, 3. Amber Bergeson 47:15.

MALE 35-39 — 1. Todd Larsen 34:30, 2. Scott Sinclair 42:13, 3. Jason Blickenderfer 44:55.

MALE 40-44 — 1. Keo Harry Springer 41:49.

MALE 45-49 — 1. Craig Jarrard 36:40, 2. Loren Marlette 41:06, 3. Joe Schmitt 41:41.

MALE 50-54 — 1. Greg Buenger 40:28, 2. Kevin Marvin 40:56.

MALE 55-59 — 1. Mark Miller 44:32, 2. D. Freeseman 49:30.

FEMALE 55-59 — 1. Debra Deuell 56:35.

MALE 60+ — 1. Bob Dumwachter 43:29