Nightfall Classic welcomes Arcadia, G-E-T runners
The sun was setting, but the runners were starting last Friday as both Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau and Arcadia joined cross country teams from across the state at the annual Nightfall Classic in Marshfield.
The event, which changes the usual tradition of morning or early evening cross country competitions into runs through the dark, took place at RiverEdge Golf Course.
The G-E-T boys placed seventh in a 13-team field, while Arcadia took 10th. The G-E-T girls finished eighth in a slightly smaller 11-team race, and Arcadia’s four female runners were not enough to post a team score.
Both teams continue competition this weekend with an invitational hosted by La Crosse Central at Maple Grove Venues in West Salem on Saturday.
Arcadia duo pace county boys, G-E-T tops rival in team score
Andy Monroy and Alec Conrad were near the top pack of runners on Saturday, but it was G-E-T that utilized group running to finish higher in the team standings.
Monroy, a senior, was the county’s fastest runner on the boys’ side. His time of 17 minutes, 42.7 seconds was enough for an 18th-place award and only slightly faster than junior teammate Conrad, who finished 23rd in 17:55.3.
Menomonie won the team event in the boys race, while Shakopee junior Owen Stuwe earned medalist honors in a blazing 15:37.9. Josh Neilitz of Wausau West was second in 16:02.7.
Sawyer Smock, a G-E-T senior, was not far behind Conrad. Smock finished 30th to lead the Red Hawks, which saw a cluster of runners just behind Smock.
Sophomore Adrian Bautista finished 34th for G-E-T, Carter Giemza was 36th and AJ Earney took 40th. Freshman Mason Busch narrowly missed a top 50 night, placing 52nd for the Red Hawks.
Yahir Gonzalez was Arcadia’s third runner, placing 73rd. Nathan Badillo placed 75th and was followed by Camren Schultz in 80th.
Johnson leads G-E-T girls
For the Red Hawk girls, it was freshman Ruby Johnson who led the way. Johnson finished 33rd with her time of 22:13.7, the eighth-fastest time by any freshman runner on Friday.
Menomonie was the clear winner on Friday with seven runners placing inside the top 12, which included the three fastest times. Menomonie junior Lauren McCalla won the race in 18:54.7.
Senior Reyna Garcia finished 45th for G-E-T, which also saw sophomore Isabella Tibbitts place 50th, Anya Wolfe place 51st and freshman Charlee McCutchen place 60th. Lorissa Thompson (66th) and Ellie Cox (74th) also cracked the top 75 in a race that featured 145 runners.
Arcadia was also led by a young runner, as freshman Leah Zuniga led the Raiders with her 117th-place run. Teammate Malanie Moreno finished 118th, freshman Shaylah Rodriguez took 131st and junior Abigail Simon finished 141st.
Boys cross country, Nightfall Classic, Oct. 27 at RiverEdge GC
Menomonie 50, Shakopee 63, River Falls 74, Marshfield 112, Wausau West 120, Logan 151, G-E-T 186, Prescott 221, Tomah 235, Arcadia 239, Wausau East 267, Wautoma 395, Mosinee 401
Arcadia—Monroy, 18th, 17:42.7; Conrad, 23rd, 17:55.3; Gonzalez, 73rd, 19:35; Badillo, 75th, 19:37.4; Schultz, 80th, 19:40.6; Aguilar, 95th, 20:04.7; Ortiz, 113th, 20:34; Miller, 117th, 20:36.7; Hernandez, 151st, 21:56.4; Dahl, 152nd, 21:56.7.
G-E-T—Smock, 30th, 18:17.2; Bautista, 34th, 18:25.4; Giemza, 36th, 18:30; Earney, 40th, 18:38; Busch, 52nd, 18:55.1; Mayer, 59th, 19:13.2; Spitzmacher, 60th, 19:13.4; Caya, 65th, 19:28.1; Porello, 72nd, 19:34.9; Aschenbrener, 76th, 19:38.
Girls cross country, Nightfall Classic, Oct. 27 at RiverEdge GC
Menomonie 17, Marshfield 105, Wausau West 109, River Falls 122, Prescott 124, Wausau East 133, Shakopee 194, G-E-T 206, Tomah 255, Logan 261, Wautoma 294
Arcadia—Zuniga, 117th, 27:07.2; Moreno, 118th, 27:10.5; Rodriguez, 131st, 29:31.7; Simon, 141st, 32:35.3.
G-E-T—Johnson, 33rd, 22:13.7; Garcia, 45th, 22:46; Tibbitts, 50th, 22:57.6; Wolfe, 51st, 23:00.6; McCutchen, 60th, 23:29.6; Thompson, 66th, 23:57.4; Cox, 74th, 24:33.3; Rotering, 87th, 25:39; Higgins, 112th, 26:38.3; Breidenbach, 115th, 26:48.2; Gilson, 116th, 26:49.9.
