Cross Country Competes at Muthama Rogers Classic in North Newton

9/16/2024 8:42:00 AM

North Newton, Kan. - Bethel Cross Country hosted a competitive meet this week, and both the men's and women's teams delivered standout performances despite a few challenges along the way.

Women's Recap

The women's team was once again led by standout runner Emma Graber, who finished 7th overall in a field of 70 competitors. Graber ran the 5k in an impressive time of 20:35, followed closely by teammates Bethany Schrag and Taryn Paulino. Schrag finished 10th overall with a time of 20:52, and Paulino came in 12th at 21:00. All three athletes placed in the top 12.

Unfortunately, the women's team did not record a team score as one teammate had to drop out due to an injury and two others sat out for recovery.

Men's Recap

On the men's side, newcomer Braden Esau made an impressive debut in his first career 8k, finishing 15th out of 84 runners with a time of 28:32. Esau's strong start marks him as a key performer for the team moving forward. He was followed closely by teammates Tobin Wise, who finished 19th with a time of 28:41, and Marcus Fiedler, who rounded out the top 20 with a time of 28:52.

Matthew Fleck and Seth Balzer completed the men's top five, finishing in 59th and 66th place, respectively. The men's team finished 5th overall in a challenging race, with six Bethel runners finishing in the top 20 of a competitive field.

Looking Ahead

Both teams continue to build on their early season successes. Both team's next meet comes on October 12th and the Carol Swenson Invite in McPherson.

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