MARSHALL – The Darlington boys’ cross country team captured the title at the Dana Waddell Cross Country Invitational for the sixth year in a row and they did it in dominating fashion.
Senior Jaden Komprood won the boys’ race in a time of 16:22, and he was followed to the finish line by sophomore Tanner Evenstad (17:00), senior Blake Cwynar and freshmen Payton Heinberg (17:00) and senior Sean Barbee (17:01), who placed fourth through seventh for the Redbirds each in a personal-best time.
Freshman Tucker Lange was 18th in a best-ever time of 17:46 and junior Connor Hackett was 19th in 18:00 to round out the varsity scoring for the ‘Birds.
Eight members of the junior varsity team also set personal-best times at the meet to lead the Redbirds’ JV to a first-place finish as well.
“We had a very good team race. The guys kept their cool early in the race and held together, and it made them all run better. That kind of racing gets the job done. Over half of our guys had their best time ever her, including eight of our 10 freshmen,” stated Darlington head coach Arnie Miehe, who recently went over the 2,300-win milestone with the boys’ team and the 2,000-win milestone with the girls’ team in his 34th season at the school.
Deerfield/Cambridge was a distant second with 55 points, followed by Westby at 90.
In the girls’ 5,000-meter race, the short-handed Lady Redbirds placed three runners in the top 20 en route to a fifth-place finish with 120 points. Deerfield/Cambridge claimed the girls’ title with 55 points, followed by Westby at 71 and Whitewater at 91.
Sophomore Erin Wolf finished 13th overall in 21:38, junior Paige Schilling pulled in 16th in 21:51 and sophomore Emma Crist took 19th in 22:05 to lead the Lady ‘Birds.
Sophomore Reghan Komprood was 33rd in 23:15 and freshman Ilse Mendez placed 39th in 24:10 to complete the team scoring on the day, while junior Bailey McDonald (46th in 24:51) and senior Jaci Moseley (53rd in 25:35) capped the varsity finishers for the ‘Birds.
“We had a couple of girls with injuries and a couple who had off days, so it wasn’t one of our best days, which happens once in awhile. The key is how we respond and get ready for the big meets coming up,” Miehe said.
Two members of the junior varsity team turned in personal-best times for the girls’ squad.
Darlington will compete at the 78th annual Midwest Invitational hosted by Janesville Craig at Blackhawk Golf Course on Saturday, Sept. 26, beginning at 9 a.m.
The Redbirds host Pecatonica/Argyle in their annual Parents’ Night dual meet at DHS n Monday, Sept. 28, at 4:30 p.m.
DANA WADDELL INVITATIONAL
Varsity Boys Team Scores: Darlington 23, Deerfield/Cambridge 55, Westby 90, Whitewater 144, Marshall 153, Dodgeland 161, Waterloo 178, New Glarus/Monticello 178, Lake Mills 187, Pardeeville 296, Madison Country Day inc, St. Ambrose Academy inc.
JV Boys Team Scores: Darlington 38, Westby 61, Marshall 86, Holy Family 91, Deerfield/Cambridge 121, Whitewater 130, New Glarus/Monticello 178, Lake Mills 229, Dodgeland inc.
Darlington JV Results: 1- Dylan Perrin, 18:38; 2- Paul King, 18:52*; 4- Trae Schilling, 19:41*; 13- Curtis Blosch, 20:44; 18- Wylie Richardson, 21:12*; 20- Preston Banfield, 21:51; 21- Andrew Merriam, 21:55*; 22- Alexis Cruz, 22:01*; 23- Michael Garcia, 22:01; 29- Mason Stone, 22:24*; 35- Riley Jones, 23:01*; 41- Daniel Maurer, 24:14*; 56- Hunter Wilkinson, 25:25; 57- Miles Carper, 25:31; 62- Kyle Thompson, 27:00; 66- Dylan Busch, 29:46; 71- Joel Wick, 36:23.
Varsity Girls Team Scores: Deerfield/Cambridge 55, Westby 71, Whitewater 91, Marshall 113, Darlington 120, Dodgeland 140, New Glarus/Monticello 177, Lake Mills 187, Madison Country Day 211, Waterloo 229, Pardeeville inc, St. Ambrose Academy inc.
JV Girls Team Scores: Deerfield/Cambridge 23, Darlington 57, Westby 78, New Glarus/Monticello 79, Marshall 132, Catholic Central 144.
Darlington JV Results: 11- Madison Weber, 25:36; 12- Hannah Hauser, 25:50; 17- Molly McDaniel, 26:36*; 20- Tara Reichling, 26:50; 21- Cheyenne Schuetz, 26:50; 29- Hope Francis, 28:44; 39- Kaitlyn Johnson, 30:49*; 40- Allie Halvorson, 31:46; 41- Jada Glendenning, 31:48; 42- Grace Cwynar, 31:49; 46- Lacie Smith, 33:34; 47- Kim Sniff, 34:49; 50- Anastasia Dannenberg, 38:49; 51- Meagan Jacobson, 42:36.
* Best Time Ever
