Two Arlington Eagles won cross-country races Thursday at Fort Atkinson, while the host Fort Calhoun boys earned a team title.
The Pioneers' Emily Barta gave her perspective of the day's events after putting in 5 kilometers of hard work.
“It actually felt pretty good,” she said. “It was kind of hot, but you've just got to push through it.”
The FCHS girls finished fourth behind first-place Minden, runner-up Arlington and Platteview, while coach Kyle McMahon's boys team topped second-place Papillion-La Vista South, Minden and the fourth-place Eagles.
“The team did really good overall,” Barta said.
Hailey O'Daniel and Kolby Tighe led the way for the second-straight Washington County meet. After crossing the finish line first during the Blair Invite on Sept. 19, O'Daniel won another race at Fort Atkinson in 19:36.9. Her teammate, Corinne May, took fifth in 21:16.1, while a second AHS teammate — Kelise Krivohlavek — was 15th in 23:14.5.
Eagles Whitney Wollberg (19th), Sofie Lewis (36th) and Izzabella Credeur (37th) filled out the second-place lineup.
On the boys' side, Tighe earned his second-straight race win in 16:41.8. The Arlington standout was a little more than a minute ahead of eighth-place teammate John Morrison, who finished in 17:48.4.
The Eagles' Brayden Fuchs (28th), Gus Burns (29th), Ethan Hilgenkamp (31st) and Henry Lancaster (49th) followed from there.
Seth Waters, meanwhile, secured Fort Calhoun's best result at home. He was fourth in 17:27, leading the Pioneers to the team title just ahead of sixth-place teammate Merritt Olberding (17:46.2) and seventh-place Will Dennis (17:47.7.)
FCHS' Matthew Kelly notched a top-15 result, too, securing 14th in 18:10 ahead of 18th-place Travis Skelton and Sean Waters, who was 20th.
Raeann Massey earned the Calhoun girls' top finish — seventh — in 22:08.7, while freshman Lauren Lammers was 10th in 22:39.5. Barta secured 20th in 23:43.2 ahead of 21st-place Annaleigh McLaughlin, Sidney Mattison (22nd) and Emma Ochoa Gomez (25th).
Barta, a junior, explained how her young Pioneer team's progress is coming this fall.
“We have a lot of new legs, so it's definitely been a lot of training, but I think we've started off amazing,” she said. “I think we'll have a good season from here.”
FCHS was set to compete in Kearney on Monday and next races Thursday at David City Aquinas' home meet. First events start at 4 p.m.
Arlington, meanwhile, was scheduled for Kearney, too, before Thursday's Raymond Central Invitational at 10 a.m.
FORT CALHOUN XC INVITATIONAL
Friday at Fort Atkinson
BOYS
Team standings: Fort Calhoun 31, Papillion-La Vista South 41, Minden 43, Arlington 66, Platteview 91, Louisville 100, Douglas County West 132, Elmwood-Murdock 157, Yutan 161, College View Academy 162.
Individual medalist: Kolby Tighe, Arlington, 16:41.8.
Arlington results: 1, Tighe, 16:41.8. 8, John Morrison, 17:48.4. 28, Brayden Fuchs, 19:31.7. 29, Gus Burns, 19:33.5. 31, Ethan Hilgenkamp, 19:40.5. 49, Henry Lancaster, 21:55.6. Top JV finish: 17, Rafaele magnino, 20:53.
Fort Calhoun results: 4, Seth Waters, 17:27.00. 6, Merritt Olberding, 17:46.2. 7, Will Dennis, 17:47.7. 14, Matthew Kelly, 18:10. 18, Travis Skelton, 18:27.8. 20, Sean Waters, 18:43.2. Top JV finish: 3, Brayden Bessey, 18:50.7.
Junior high team finishes: 1, Otte Blair Middle School, 43 points. 2, Arlington, 51. 3, Fort Calhoun, 52.
GIRLS
Team standings: Minden 26, Arlington 40, Platteview 49, Fort Calhoun 58, DC West 91, Papio South 92, Louisville 106, Yutan 111.
Individual medalist: Hailey O'Daniel, Arlington, 19:36.9.
Arlington results: 1, O'Daniel, 19:36.9. 5, Corinne May, 21:16.1. 15, Kelise Krivohlavek, 23:14.5. 19, Whitney Wollberg, 23:37.4. 36, Sofie Lewis, 26:11. 37, Izzabella Credeur, 26:17.3.
Fort Calhoun results: 7, Raeann Massey, 22:08.7. 10, Lauren Lammers, 22:39.5. 20, Emily Barta, 23:43.2. 21, Annaleigh McLaughlin, 23:48.4. 22, Sidney Mattison, 23:51.1. 25, Emma Ochoa Gomez, 24:00.6. Top JV finish: 2, Anna McMahon, 23:48.5.
Junior high team finishes: 1, Otte Blair, 15 points. 2, Arlington, 38. 3, Fort Calhoun, 53.
