Typically, Blair High School cross-country runners have the option to run during the Boys Town Invitational just a few days removed from the University of Nebraska-Kearney High School Invite.
“In previous years, they might not have been feeling as fresh and wanted to take it off,” Bears coach Carson Norine said before the Cowboys' home meet. “This year, nearly everyone wants to run it.”
And, as a result, the BHS boys and girls both won team titles Thursday. The boys bested their second-place hosts, 22-43, while the girls earned an 18-42 win over their runner-up competition — Omaha Mercy.
“They're starting to hit that stride of good races and want to keep that momentum going,” Norine said without knowing for sure how well his Bears would do.
Declan McCabe, notably, led the Blair boys with a second overall finish across 5-kilometers. He clocked in at 18:39.95, while Roland Barondeau earned third in 18:40.6.
Lane Christensen added a sixth-place result in 18:57.61, while Tannon Bellamy was 12th for the Bears in 19:11.63. Raiden Isenhower (19th) and Hayden Olsen (25th) rounded out the varsity lineup, while Jake Baker, Michael Amandus and Kieryn Flynn finished 1-2-3 in the junior varsity race.
On the girls' side, Jade Wickwire produced BHS' top finish. She was third in 21:44.13 as Kate Wulf raced across the finish line in 22:05.59 for fourth.
Ryen Anderson added a seventh-place Bears result in 22:19.56, while Nadia Davey was eighth in 22:24.77 and Ryleigh Schroeter claimed 10th in 23:07.81. Emma Himes ran as apart of the varsity girls lineup, too, securing 14th in 23:24.98.
Stevie Avila, meanwhile, led Blair's JV team with a third-place result.
Coach Norine's squad next competes 4 p.m. Thursday during the Eastern Midlands Conference meet at Lincoln Northwest. Districts are Oct. 17 at Walnut Grove Park in Omaha.
BOYS TOWN INVITATIONAL
Thursday at Boys Town
BOYS
Team standings: Blair 22, Boys Town 43, Elkhorn South 53, Gretna 63, Elkhorn 82, Omaha Roncalli 88, Omaha Northwest 94, Omaha Christian Academy 147.
Individual medalist: Silas Wilson, Northwest, 18:37.63.
Blair results: 2, Declan McCabe, 18:39.95. 3, Roland Barondeau, 18:40.6. 6, Lane Christensen, 18:57.61. 12, Tannon Bellamy, 19:11.63. 19, Raiden Isenhower, 19:49.1. 25, Hayden Olsen, 20:30.28. Top-10 JV finishers: 1, Jake Baker, 19:05.56. 2, Michael Amandus, 19:20.19. 3, Kieryn Flynn, 19:29.96. 9, Zeke Prochaska, 20:35.22.
GIRLS
Team standings: Blair 18, Omaha Mercy 42, Elkhorn North 68, Omaha Duchesne 68, Gretna 76, Roncalli 98, Boys Town 110, Elkhorn 127.
Individual medalist: Maggie Lickteig, Duchesne, 21:06.12.
Blair results: 3, Jade Wickwire, 21:44.13. 4, Kate Wulf, 22:05.59. 7, Ryen Anderson, 22:19.56. 8, Nadia Davey, 22:24.77. 10, Ryleigh Schroeter, 23:07.81. 14, Emma Himes, 23:24.98. Top-10 JV finishers: 3, Stevie Avila, 24:15.29. 6, Cecilia Lamoureux, 24:38.61. 7, Lissy Spangler, 24:57.41.
