Connell dominates for Comets at Sam Iverson XC Invitational

By John Burbridge

sports@charlescitypress.com

GRUNDY CENTER — This is not merely social distancing … it’s social desertion.

Charles City senior Kiki Connell continued her string of dominating victories while winning the girls varsity race during the Sam Iverson Invitational held Thursday at the Town and Country Golf Course in Grundy Center.

With a 5K time of 19 minutes, 24 seconds, Connell finished well ahead of runner-up, Hudson junior Addison Grady, who finished 1:52 behind — about the playing length of the Grammy-winning song “Old Town Road.”

The next runner in for the Comets was junior Lydia Staudt, who placed eight with a time of 22:25 while holding off a quartet of challengers along the homestretch.

But with seniors Brianna Ross (18th, 23:03), Libbie McKeage (21st, 23:20) and Ryle Patrie (23:53) rounding out the scoring for the Comets, it left them 4 place points shy of Hudson, whose team score of 65 paced the 12-team field.

In the boys varsity race, the Comets placed fifth with seniors Alex Bauer (13th, 19:04) and Zach Graeser (20th, 19:32), junior Jared Johnson (26th, 19:55), freshman Isaac Thompson (37th, 20:50) and junior Clayton Rand (47th, 21:17) compiling the team score of 139.

Denver topped the 14-team boys field with 37 team points ahead of runner-up Grundy Center (64).

East Marshall (91) and Hudson (92) were the other two teams finishing ahead of the Comets.

Hudson senior Sam Hansen won the boys varsity race with a time of 17:48 — less than 8 seconds ahead of runner-up, Grundy Center senior Kenny Day.