Cross Country teams take 4th at Bowman meet
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
Watford City’s cross country teams improved on their times as they competed in their first varsity meet of the season on Thursday in Bowman.
The varsity boys and girls teams both ended the day with fourth place finishes. In the junior high division, the girls team took first place.
The next meet for the Wolves will be on Sept. 16 when they run in Minot.
Individually, Dustin Kleppen led the boys team with a 17th place finish with a time of 22:20, while Kara Wold led the girls team with an eighth place finish with a time of 18:10.
“I feel that our teams are really running well and they have been working extremely hard in practice,” stated Greg Brown, head coach. “The athletes are starting to get grumpy, which is fine for this time of the year. The meets at this time of the year are considered a fast-paced workout.”
With the hard practices and meets, Brown notes that the runners don’t have time to let their legs recover. But that is part of his strategy to get the team ready for State.
“Right now we will keep working hard to become better runners mechanically and to improve overall fitness,” said Brown. “I am extremely proud of how hard these athletes work every day that we run.”
Also placing in the boys varsity division was Dillon Smith, 20th, 22:40; Logan Gumke, 21st, 22:52; John Meuchel, 23rd, 23:25; and Reid Brown, 27th, 26:27.
Following Wold in the varsity girls division was Tara Loomer, 9th, 18:15; Jayme Johnson, 13th, 19:10; and Bessie Schmitz, 15th, 19:29.
In the junior high girls division, Addison Sundeen took first with a time of 14:26 while Lea Arndt placed third with a time of 15:01.