Cross Country Teams Crowned Region 1A Champions=Heading to State

The Milbank cross country teams traveled to Webster on Thursday, October 14, to compete in the Region 1A meet. Both the Bulldogs and the Lady Bulldogs repeated as team champions for the fifth year in a row. Nick Batchelor was crowned the individual boys champion for the fourth time. Ashlynn Batchelor took second place for the girls.

Varsity Boys’ 5K Race In the varsity boys’ 5K run, N. Batchelor crossed the finish line at 16:46.35. Bulldog Payton Brown was nipping at his heels in second place at 17:48.34.  James Batchelor earned sixth place with a time of 18:08.60.

Next in for the Bulldogs, was Issac Graham. He stepped over the line at 19:01.70 to take 10th place. Bryan Meyer brought home 13th place for the Dawgs with a time of 19:31.43, and Jack Sandvig clocked in at 20:57.17 for 29th place.

The Bulldogs team won the meet with just 19 points. They recorded a total time of 1:11:44.98 and an average time of 17:56.25. Clark-Willow Lake took second with 35 points. Deuel was third with 54 points. Webster Area, fourth at 66; Tri-State, fifth at 75; Florence-Henry, sixth at 95; and Great Plains Luther, seventh at 119.

Varsity Girls’ 5K Race In the varsity girls’ 5K run, Lady Bulldog Ashlynn Batchelor took second place with a time of 19:53.70. Halle Bauer of Great Plains won the race at 19:45.69. Maurina Street was the next runner in for Milbank. She crossed the line at 22:13.06.

Kynlee Speidel took 10th place at 22:43.18 just ahead of Tyra Berry, who came in at 11th place with a time of 22:44.97. Ellie Neugebauer was in 14th place at 23:07.77 and Maiah Brown took 18th at 23:30.60.

The Lady Bulldogs won the meet with 23 points. They compiled a total time of 1:27:34.91 and averaged 21:53.73. Great Plains Lutheran was second with 30 points; Clark-Willow Lake, third with 35, Webster Area, fourth with 74; and Tri-State fifth with 75 points.

Junior Varsity Boys 3K Race In the junior varsity boys’ 3K Run, Grant VanPeursem took first place individually, and Milbank took second place as a team. 
Beckham Berry brought home eighth place for the Bulldogs. He clocked in at 14:23.59. Jose Hernandez was 11th at 14:43.02; Parker Grabow,13th at 14:48.98; and Will Karels, 15th at 14:57.82.
Clark-Willow Lake won the event. Tri-State was third, and Florence-Henry took fourth.

Junior Varsity Girls 3K Race Nine runners from the girls junior varsity team brought home top-10 finishes. Leah Meyer won the race. She came across the finish line at 14:50.69. Stella Wendland was second at 15:08.16, and Zayda Townshend was third at 15:29.31.

Macy Mueller took fourth place at 15:32.11; Jaiden Tillotsen fifth, at 15:44.55; Elexia Quintanilla, sixth at15:52.05; Olivia Foell, seventh at 15;52.61; Jaclyn Wiik, eighth at 15:53.31; and Julia Wiik,10th at 16:09.03.
Savanna Osowski came across the finish line for Milbank at 16:18.53 to take 13th place. Ava Sichmiller was right behind in 14th place. She clocked in at 16:20.51. Yanderyn Olivares came in at 16:41.91 to take 17th. Sophia Gastineau finished in 19th place with a time of 16:50.19. Addie Farrell was 20th at 16:59.73; Camryn Sovell, 32nd at 18:13.56; and Nadia Thue, 34th at 18:21.15.

MHS head cross country coach, Eric Townshend said, “Next, both teams have their sights set on the state meet. Both are in a great position and are looking to get on the awards. We have hopes of placing a few in the top 25.”
Townshend continued, “The top six teams and top 25 individuals receive awards. It’s going to be tough. Class A is very competitive this year. We hope to have our best race of the season.”
The Bulldogs head to State at Yankton Trails Park in Sioux Falls on Saturday, October 23. Class A girls start at 12:30 p.m. and Class A boys begin at 2 p.m.  The award ceremony follows the last race of the day.

Team photo–back row, left to right, Bryan Meyer, Peyton Brown, Nick Batchelor, Jack Sandvig, James Batchelor and Isaac Graham. Front row–left to right, Ashlynn Batchelor, Kynlee Speidel, Ellie Neugebauer,
Maiah Brown, Maurina Street and Tyra Berry. Middle photo-Kynlee Speidel, bottom Grant VanPeursem