Boys Cross Country Team Take First Place in NEC

The Bulldogs as a team and Nick Batchelor as an individual runner took first place in the Boys 5K Run at the Northeast Conference meet on October 7 in Webster. 

MHS head coach, Eric Townshend, said, “Nick Batchelor completed a four-peat — he’s the individual champion for the fourth year in a row.  The boys’ team placed six individuals in the top 20. We knew going in we were going to be in a great position to win both of the team titles, and the runners performed very well. The boys’ team won the NEC team crown and has now won three of the last four NEC team titles.” 

The Bulldogs compiled a total time of 1:10:55.50 with an average time 17:43.88. They bested Clark-Willow Lake, who came in second, with a total time of 1:14:06.43 and an average time of 18:31.64. Deuel was third, Webster Area, fourth, and Aberdeen Roncalli received fifth.

N. Batchelor, a senior, was first in a field of 42 runners. He clocked in at 16:17.65. Payton Brown, a sophomore, was fourth at 17:47.10. Sophomore James Batchelor was fifth at 18:02.61.  Isaac Graham, also a sophomore, came in at eighth place at 18:48.14.

Bryan Meyer was 15th with a time of 19:44.78. Jack Sandvig took 20th at 20:04.11; Will Karels, 37th at 23:26.41; Jose Hernandez, 39th at 23:36.36; and Ryan o’Farrell, 41st at 23:45.11.

Townshend said, “Now our sights are set on the regional team titles.  It’s going to be a tough task to come home with both of those titles.  The top three teams and top 20 individuals from the region meet qualify for State.”
Townshend also outlined the Lady Bulldogs’ success at the NEC meet. (See separate story here on The Valley Express.) “The girls team repeated as NEC team champions and have now won four of the last five NEC team titles.  Ashlynn Batchelor repeated as individual champion. The girls team also placed eight girls in the top 20 which is incredible!” 

Berry Beckham Takes Seventh Place for JV Boys
Also competing at the NEC meet, three Bulldogs earned top-13 finishes in the JV Boys’ 3K Run. Alex Reil of Clark-Willow Lake won the race with a time of 13:35.83. Berry Beckham came in at seventh for the Bulldogs. His time was14:45.43. Parker Grabow finished at 14:54.57 for 10th place, and Allen Mason took 13th place when he crossed the finish line at 15:13.75.
Clark-Willow Lake won the meet as a team. Groton was second. Aberdeen Roncalli was third, and Brittton-Hecla took home fourth place.

The next meet for the Bulldogs is the Region 1A meet in Webster on Thursday, October 14. The event starts at 3:30 pm with the varsity girls race, followed by the varsity boys race, and then the JV races.  
The 2021 Cross Country State Tournament will be held on Saturday, October 23, in Sioux Falls and Yankton.