MCDONALD'S SWNEWS4U.COM GAME OF THE WEEK (Sept. 29–Oct. 7)
CROSS COUNTRY: 58th Dick McKichan Platteville Invitational
By Jason Nihles, The Platteville Journal / Fennimore Times / Boscobel Dial

TSHS's Ruah Franzmann-Simmert wins girls' race, Platteville's Kinley Richard breaks own 5K school record
PLATTEVILLE — The perfect conditions of Saturday’s 58th Dick Mc-Kichan Platteville Invitational made for another memorable day in the history of the race.

Tri-State Home School senior Ruah Franzmann-Simmert zoomed to the overall individual victory in the girls’ varsity race with a winning time of 17:53.6, more than five seconds faster than Mount Horeb sophomore Isla Odgers (17:58.9), the girls large school division individual champion, who led the Vikings (30) to the large school team title well ahead of runner-up Monroe (96).

Meanwhile, Platteville freshman Kinley Richard, who only began running cross country this year, broke her own school record for the second time in eight days to lead the Platteville girls (128) to third-place team finish in the large school division.

Richard finished 10th overall and seventh in the large school division with a new school record time of 19:09.2.

Richard first broke Platteville’s girls 5K record the previous Saturday at the Janesville Craig Midwest Invitational with a time of 19:20.80.

“Kinley breaking the school record again for girls 5K as a freshman is an incredible start to her running career,” said Platteville head coach Renne Clark. “Girls started running the 5K distance in 2014 and previously the record was held by Brittani Meis from her race at the Platteville Invite in 2019 with a time of 19:31.

“I’m confident Kinley will be breaking her own record many more times too.”

Juniors Natalie Thiele (20th, 20:31.7) and Payton Murray (33rd, 21:23.6), and seniors Lexy Popp (35th, 21:27.9) and Ellie Brunton (42nd, 21:41.5) rounded out the Platteville girls’ scoring lineup.

“Natalie has been working hard all year long and had a huge day, setting an all-time PR with a time of 20:31,” added Clark. “Lexy is a senior in her first season in cross county, had a breakthrough race as well to help the girls team to a third place finish.”

Sophomore Mackenzie Knuckey (3rd small, 19:03.0) and junior Maci Reichman (4th, 19:52.5) led the Southwestern/Benton co-op (34) to the small school girls title ahead of Lancaster (58) and Darlington (61).

Darlington sophomore Alaina McGowan finished second in the small schools division and fourth overall at 18:36.5 to lead the third-place Redbirds, while Lancaster junior Maddie Driscoll (19:54.8) finished fifth in the girls' small school division (17th overall) to lead the runner-up Flying Arrows.

Senior Abby Droessler (30th, season-best 22:32.7), sophomore Rohwen Aultman (40th, 23:28.0, PR) and freshman Isabelle Johnson (46th, 24:11.4, PR) lead the Iowa–Grant girls to a seventh-place finish in the small schools division with 175 points.

Sophomore Cassidy Brania (23:46.5) finished 44th to lead the incomplete Shullsburg/Belmont girls, who had just four runners Saturday.

On the boys’ side, Richland Center/Ithaca sophomore Owen Drier (15:50.4) held off Dodgeville/Mineral Point senior Johnny Robinson (15:56.2) for the boys’ individual title while leading the Hornets (89) to a second place finish in the large school division behind McFarland (61).

The Platteville boys (155) finished eight out of 14 large school teams with senior Evan DeBuhr (6th large, 16:37.0) and Kaleb Osborne (16th, 17:30.5), and junior Louie Peterson (14th, 17:27.4) leading the way. Osborne and Peterson set new PRs.

St. Ambrose/Abundant Life (60) won the boys’ small school title ahead of Albany (81) and Madison Country Day (81).

The Iowa–Grant boys (115) finished fourth led by seniors Angel Vazquez-Bartolo (10th small, 17:18.4), Ubaldo Bartolo-Garcia (15th, 17:49.3) and Jason Bartolo-Garcia (17th, 17:55.2).

“Our boys team had a breakout day, led by Angel and Ubaldo, who each ran new all-time PRs and both medaled in the small school race,” said IG head coach Jake Winkler. “Jason Bartolo Garcia, Eli Straka, and Alex Bartolo Marin packed in close behind them to lock down our top five spots.

“Overall, it was a phenomenal day,” added Winkler. “Our runners set 18 new all-time PRs and even more season bests across both squads. We are working on overcoming some injuries as we enter the championship phase of the season, but I am so proud of the work our athletes have put in. I’m confident that effort will continue to pay off in these next few weeks just as it did on Saturday.

“On a personal note, as a Platteville High graduate, it is always special to be back at the old home course and see family, friends, and former teammates. Coach Renee Clark and her assistant Jordan Wagner have done an amazing job continuing the great traditions of Platteville cross country, and their effort in keeping this historic invite running so smoothly is commendable.”

“Saturday was an amazing day!,” added Platteville’s Clark. “It’s always a lot of work setting up and planning an event of this size, but everything went smoothly and our kids had a big day. I want to thank my assistant coaches (Jordan and Brian), our school staff, all the volunteers, UWP staff, and parents for helping make this one of the best invitationals.

“There’s something extra special about hosting your home invitational on Homecoming. Maybe it’s the crisp fall air, the familiar course or it’s having generations of Hillmen runners and coaches show up for our runners. Whatever it is, there’s an extra layer of excitement on a day like Saturday.”

Following the high school races, Platteville held a Homecoming alumni reunion and honored the state championship teams from 1979 and 1980, past Platteville invite winners, and many other Hillmen alumni.

The current team also honored former PHS cross country coaches Dick McKichan Rob Serres, and Spider Fromader.

58th Dick McKichan Platteville Invitational

(from Saturday, Oct. 3 @ Platteville)

(Girls, 5,000 meters)

Large school team standings: 1.Mount Horeb 30, 2.Monroe 96, 3.Platteville 128, 4.McFarland 144, 5.Union Grove 149, 6.Richland Center/Ithaca 152, 7.Dodgeville/Mineral Point 176, 8.New Glarus 199, 9.Sauk Prairie 214, 9.Wisconsin Heights/Barneveld 283, 11.Wisconsin Dells 293, 12.River Valley 305, 13.Reedsburg 312, 14.Evansville 330, 15.Brodhead/Juda 359.

Top individuals: 1.Isla Odgers (Mount Horeb) 17:58.9, 2.Ada Geiger (McFarland) 18:28.3, 3.Willa Vigliotta (Mount Horeb) 18:44.4, 4.Aubrey Schoenemann (Lodi) 18:49.1, 5.Avalee Langreck (Dodge–Point) 18:51.4.

Platteville (146): 7.(6).Kinley Richard 19:09.2, 20.(18).Natalie Thiele 20:31.7, 33.(31).Payton Murray 21:23.6, 35.(33).Lexy Popp 21:27.9, 42.(40).Ellie Brunton 21:41.5, 46.(44).Charlotte Nachscheim 21:49.5, 65.(63).Elia Doyle-Morin 22:45.3.

(Girls, 5,000 meters)

Small school team standings: 1.Southwestern/Benton 34, 2.Lancaster 58, 3.Darlington 61, 4.Albany 128, 5.St. Ambrose/Abundant Life 137, 6.Prairie du Chien 170, 7.Iowa–Grant 175, 8.Cuba City 192, 9.Belleville 206, 10.Argyle/Pecatonica 262, Tri-State Home School inc., Shullsburg/Belmont inc.

Top individuals: 1.Ruah Franzmann-Simert (Tri-State Homeschool) 17:53.6, 2.Alaina McGowan (Darlington) 18:36.5, 3.Mackenzie Knuckey (SW/Benton) 19:03.0, 4.Maci Reichmann (SW/Benton) 19:52.5, 5.Maddie Driscoll (Lancaster) 19:54.8.

Iowa–Grant (175): 30.(24).Abby Droessler 22:32.7, 40.(32).Wohwen Aultman 23:28.0, 46.(36).Isabell Johnson 24:11.4, 52.(41).Katie Bartolo Rivera 24:53.7, 53.(42).Braelyn Rothamer 25:07.0, 61.(47).Karla Gaytan 25:48.9, 73.(58).Chris Crow 27:43.6.

Shullsburg/Belmont (inc.): 44.Cassidy Brania 23:46.5, 64.Emma Ragotzkie 26:03.4, 76.Rosie Reuter 28:29.6, 78.Serenity VanNatta 32:24.0.

Tri-State Home School (inc.): 1.Ruah Franzmann-Simmert 17:53.6, 17.Echo Wruck 21:15.2, 27.Ze’Niyah Burr 24:27.3, 56.Julia Tennessen 26:53.4.

Boys, 5,000 meters)

Large school team standings: 1.McFarland 61, 2.Richland Center/Ithaca 89, 3.Monroe 92, 4.Dodgeville/Mineral Point 118, 5.Reedsburg 137, 6.Union Grove 140, 7.Mount Horeb 141, 6.Platteville 155, 7.New Glarus 241, 8.Platteville 155, 9.New Glarus 241, 10.Sauk Prairie 242, 11.Wisconsin Dells 298, 12.Wisconsin Heights/Barneveld 323, 13.Brodhead/Juda 357, 14.River Valley 358.

Top individuals: 1.Owen Drier (RC/I) 15:50.4, 2.Johnny Robinson (Dodge–Point) 15:56.2, 3.Willard Heitzman (McFarland) 16:03.1, 4.Blake Doolan (McFarland) 16:34.8, 5.Ace Rossing (Monroe) 16:35.1.

Platteville (155): 6.Evan DeBuhr 16:37.0, 14.Louie Peterson 17:27.4, 16.Kaleb Osborne 17:30.5, 62.(59).Max Peterson 19:09.8, 64.(60).Colton Tyson 19:10.6, 78.(75).Cole Wolf 19:50.7, 87.(82).Joseph Erickson 20:47.1.

Small school team standings: 1.St. Ambrose/Abundant Life 60, 2.Albany 81, 3.Madison Country Day 81, 4.Iowa–Grant 115, 5.Boscobel 122, 6.Lancaster 167, 7.Southwestern/Benton 179, 8.Belleville 205, 9.Darlington 220, 10.Shullsburg/Belmont 235, 11.Argyle/Pecatonica 278, 12.Riverdale 362.

Top individuals: 1.Emmett Mead (Madison Country Day) 16:18.5, 2.Josh Richardson (SW/B) 16:24.6, 3.Will Rzentkowski (Madison Country Day) 16:39.1, 4.David Simon (St. Ambrose/Abundant Life) 16:46.7, 5.Isaac Harkness (Tri-State Homeschool) 16:53.4.

Iowa–Grant (115): 10.(8).Angel Vazquez-Bartolo 17:18.4, 15.(13).Ubaldo Bartolo 17:49.3, 17.(15).Jason Bartolo Garcia 17:55.2, 42.(39).Eli Straka 19:14.3, 43.(40).Alex Bartolo-Marin 19:19.3, 48.(44).Dacota Freymiller 19:22.7, 55.(51).Bentley Kasparek 20:10.4.

Shullsburg/Belmont (235): 26.(24).Stefano Karavergos 18:35.0, 49.(45).Omar Alonso-Santo 19:23.9, 51.(47).Colton Fennell 19:27.4, 53.(49).Elliot Fennell 19:45.1, 80.(70).Ryan Teasdale 23:05.9.

Tri-State Home School (inc.): 5.Isaac Harkness 16:53.4, 47.Stephan Burdett 19:22.6, 63.Daniel Borgen 20:53.0, 83.Joseph Mattingley 24:41.6, 107.Brandon Jones 24:39.0, 129.Andrew Burdett 27:46.1.