The St. Mary’s Knights cross country team participated in a 9-team invitational on Saturday at Rushville. The girls came out in 2nd place overall. Alaina Bedel (12:59) brought home a medal with her 3rd place finish. Josie Wenning (13:54) and Raegan Abplanalp (14:01PR) took 11th and 13th place ribbons. Josie Slaven (14:12PR), Kelsey Slaven (14:12PR), and Frankie Fry (14:25) claimed consecutive placements 17th, 18th, and 19th places. Katie Fisse (15:10) rounded out the varsity team with 24th place finish.
The boys took 3rd place in the invite with Braylon Brancamp (11:58) taking home the 7th place medal. Conner Bedel (13:11) and Fletcher Hash (13:17) finished 13th & 14th. Carson Kendall (14:21), Charles Cornett (14:23), Landen Fuel (14:25PR), and Nolan Wells (15:08PR) ran in a close pack placing 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 26th in the boys’ varsity race. Caitlyn Kendall (16:04), Kylie Harpring (16:16), Maxwell Gauck (17:12PR), and Mackenzie Lohrum (17:38) represented St. Mary’s in the JV race.
For fun, coaches and spectators were allowed to run in the Open race. St. Mary’s coach, Matt Slaven (12:14) ran the Open race and won first place finishing before another team’s coach by 25 seconds! Two younger brothers of our SM runners, William Slaven (15:25) and Brody Bedel (15:54), also raced and impressed the crowd with their speed, finishing in the top 20 of the open race. While they are only in first grade, we will be recruiting them for the team in a few years! Dad, Andy Kendall (16:04), ran with his daughter and the two crossed the finish together.
Way to go, Knights! The Knights will compete on Monday at Muscatatuck Park in the Jennings Co invitational. Good luck, St. Mary’s!
Staci Schutte