Comets make impact at N-P XC Invite

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

NASHUA — Someone likened running at Nashua Town and Country Club to running back and forth and up and down inside a giant bowl.

Indeed, much of the Nashua-Plainfield Invitational cross country course did traverse within what seemed to be at one time a crater … like one made long ago by a meteorite.

Or maybe by a comet.

Comet runners sure made an impact at Tuesday’s invitational. Charles City’s varsity girls won their second title in as many years; the Comets’ middle school boys team thoroughly dominated for a title of its own; and the Comet middle school girls team was also in the running for a championship after being paced by another record-setting performance.

Charles City senior McKayla Cole won the girls varsity race by nearly a quarter of a mile with a 5K time of 19 minutes, 37 seconds. But what impressed Comets’ coach Amanda Rahmiller were the next four runners in from her team.

“That’s what we’re focusing on … two, three, four, five,” she said. “We need those girls to stay close within one another while keeping few runners between them. That’s what wins close meets.”

Sophomore Whitney Martin was third, senior Sarah Turpen placed eighth, freshman Mackenzy Bilharz was 11th and senior Bailey Mitchell placed 12th to round out the scoring for Charles City.

“And (freshman) Ingrid Hernandez won the junior varsity race for us,” Rahmiller said. “She ran an incredible race … it gave me goosebumps watching her run.”

In the boys varsity race, Charles City had two Top-10 finishers in sophomore Mason Deeter, who placed eighth, and senior Gavin Connell, who placed ninth.

“This is one of the roughest courses I have run,” said Deeter, who clocked in at 18:07.

It was Deeter’s best finish running for the Comets, but he has run faster.

“My personal best is 17:34 when I ran in Colorado,” Deeter said. “I’m working my way back (from a sciatic nerve malady), but I’m getting there.”

Connell is still recovering from an illness, but his younger sister Kiki Connell is as strong as ever.

In the middle school girls race, Kiki Connell may have once again broken her school’s record in the 2-mile run.

“I have her down at 12:29 … but that’s not official and we won’t know for sure until we get the results,” Charles City middle school girls coach Karleen Sickman said. “But to run a time like that in this heat with those hills … it was just a great run.”

Like Kiki Connell’s official time, Sickman also won’t know for sure if her team won the meet until she receives the results. But with Lydia Staudt finishing ninth, Nia Litterer finishing in the top 25 and strong performances from Jillian Anderson and Kaylee Henneck, Sickman is confident about her team’s chances at a title.

“We told them to attack the hills, and that’s what they did,” Sickman said.

As for Charles City middle school boys coach Eric Hoefer, he doesn’t need to wait for the results.

With Antwone Cooper taking first (11:48), Jacob Vais placing second (12:03), Austin Connerly placing fifth (12:45) with teammates Zach Graeser (12:55) and Cameron Kakac (13:09) close behind, the Comets won the meet … ahem … running away.

“In all my years of coaching, this is the most talented group of runners I’ve ever had,” Hoefer said.

And they’re due to get even faster.

One of the school’s best runners ever, Logan Luft, recently returned to the Comet lineup after recovering from a broken foot.

“And this was his first meet back,” Hoefer said. “He still has a ways to go as he’s only had two practices, but we’re glad he’s back.”