Four Spartans make all-region team
MARSHALLTOWN — Four Southwestern Community College cross country runners earned all-region honors at the Region XI Championships, as both teams improved on their performances at the Region XI Time Trial back in August.
The men’s team finished third Saturday and the women finished fourth. Back at the time trial, the two teams finished fourth and fifth, respectively.
“Our growth was phenomenal,” head coach Bill Huntington said. “The women ended up jumping ahead of Iowa Lakes and were just a little behind NIACC.”
Three runners on the women’s team earned all-region honors. Sophomore Kalli McCann of Osceola finished 10th overall with a time of 20:00 over the 5K course, earning second team honors.
Delaney Turner in 22nd and Regina Hafner in 24th both earned honorable mention. Turner ran 21:47, while Hafner clocked a 21:54.
“Regina and Delaney weren’t even top 30 at the time trial, but they progressed and did the things we asked in the program,” Huntington said. “They moved up. The women were just phenomenal. Probably Delaney had the best race on the women’s side. She’d been running third all year. Courtney Wagner and Kristin Klocksiem ran very well. Without them running like they did in that fourth and fifth spot, I don’t know if we’d have been able to beat Iowa Lakes.”
Wagner finished 41st while Klocksiem finished 43rd. Brei Theisen placed 49th for the Spartans.
Sophomore Dave Prchal of Omaha led the Southwestern men, placing 24th overall out of 65 runners with his time of 28:36 for the 8K course.
Prchal’s effort earned him honorable mention all-region accolades as well.
Freshmen Auston Carter, who has been nursing an Achilles tendon injury, and Gage Beers just missed out on all-region honors, placing 27th and 28th, respectively. Carter ran 28:52 while Beers ran 29:03.
“We had four guys in the top 32, and at the regional time trial we didn’t have anyone in the top 30,” Huntington said. “Where they were at in August and where they’re at in November is night and day.”
Freshman Rayvonne Brown finished 32nd in 29:28, while freshman Nic Bacus rounded out the team scoring with a 35th-place finish in 29:36.
Also running for the Spartans were Kenny Blass (40th), Josh Cobb (46th), Brandon Bergren (53rd), Adam Pool (55th) and Brendon McGinnis (65th).
“I thought they finished extremely well,” Huntington said. “As a team, to finish third, I was really happy with that. It’s just a tremendous amount of growth throughout the season by everyone.”
Nationals
The Spartans now prepare for the NJCAA Championships held Nov. 10 in Rend Lake, Ill.
The tough Region XI meet proved to be a good test for Southwestern heading into the national meet.
“We’ve seen the best,” Huntington said. “We’re not going into this with our eyes shut. Our regional meet, it’s a great springboard for the national meet. We know what to expect.”
REGION XI CHAMPIONSHIPS
WOMEN TEAM SCORES
1. Iowa Central 15, 2. Iowa Western 62, 3. NIACC 91, 4. Southwestern 123, 5. DMACC 137, 6. Iowa Lakes 138, 7. Indian Hills 208, 8. Marshalltown 241.
Southwestern — 10. Kalli McCann, 20:00; 22. Delaney Turner, 21:47; 24. Regina Hafner, 21:54; 41. Courtney Wagner, 24:10; 43. Kristin Klocksiem, 24:42; 49. Brei Theisen, 31:33.
MEN TEAM SCORES
1. NIACC 19, 2. Iowa Western 50, 3. Southwestern 86, 4. Marshalltown 119, 5. Iowa Lakes 177, 6. Indian Hills 208.
Southwestern — 24. Dave Prchal, 28:36, 27. Auston Carter, 28:52; 28. Gage Beers, 29:03; 32. Rayvonne Brown, 29:28; 35. Nic Bacus, 29:36; 40. Kenny Blass, 29:58; 46. Josh Cobb, 30:29; 53. Brandon Bergren, 31:12; 55. Adam Pool, 31:17; 65. Brendon McGinnis, 36:18.
