CHS cross-country: Jackets, Lady Jackets both take 2nd at Vienna meet

The Chester High School cross country teams both finished second Sept. 3 in a five-way meet in Vienna. The competitors were Vienna, Chester, Johnston City, Christopher and Agape Christian (Marion) high schools.

There were three races at the Vienna event, a varsity boys race, a varsity girls race and an open boys/girls race. The distance of each race was 3.08 miles on mostly grass. The races started and finished at the Vienna football field and traveled Old Metropolis Road.

Schools were limited to a maximum of seven runners to adhere to COVID-19 regulations and only the top five runners' times on each team contributed toward the team score.

Under the COVID-19 rules, runners on each team are assigned to a designated team area where they stay unless warming up or competing. Runners must socially distance, and masks are mandatory except while running. Once a race is over, runners must immediately put masks back on.

Spectators, meanwhile, are limited to the spectator area only, and not at the starting or finish lines or at the team camps. No concessions are sold and runners bring their own drinks.

The Vienna Eagles won the boys meet with a team score of 23, and had the top three finishers: Matt Johnson, 19:00; Cambell Douglas, 20:21 and Avery Warehime, 20:22.

The Yellow Jackets finished second overall with 50 points. Senior Logan Gregory led the Jackets with a time of 21:08 and finished fourth overall. Gregory, who transferred to CHS this year from Marissa, has been the leader of the boys squad in all three meets so far this season.

Senior Jordan Hughes and sophomore Jacob Handel finished within 17 seconds of each other. Hughes came in eighth overall at 23:32, while Handel finished ninth with a time of 23:49.

Sophomore Trace Fricke was 13th with a time of 24:36; junior Blake Huffman was 16th with 26:45 and Blake Farmer's 28:27 time gave him 17th place.

There were 23 runners in all in the boys meet.

Johnston City's top runner was Roman Dodd who finished 14th with a time of 26:30. Teammate Jonathan Tindall finished 18th (28:38). Other JC finishers were William Hughes (19th, 29:25) and Jacob Peterson (20th, 31:17). Agape Christian had runners finish in 5th, 6th, 12th and 22nd places. Sheldon McPhail finished fifth with a time of 22:44 and Sean Troutner finished sixth in 22:51.

Christopher's only runner, Ryver Roseman, finished 15th with a time of 26:44.

Since this was the first cross country meet hosted by Vienna in a long time, the new course record was set at this meet by winner, Matthew Johnson.

David Hill, Vienna athletic director said since this was their first cross-country meet in many years, he would appreciate feedback on how it went.

"Our 3.08-mile course has a few good hills which proved to be quite a test," he added.

Varsity girls race

The varsity girls race had 20 runners. Vienna was the overall winner, with 21 points. Katie King was the overall winner with her time of 23:38. King was followed by Emma Rush (2nd, 26:13), Jalyn Rademaker (3rd, 26:15), Chloe Capron (7th, 29:19), Grace Taylor (8th, 29:34), Stella Larson (9th, 31:10), and Emmy Vinson (12th, 34:06).

The Lady Jackets placed second with a team score of 56 points. Josie Kattenbraker was Chester's first finisher for the third meet in a row, placing sixth overall with a time of 29:03.

Chester's other finishers were Madi Kribs (10th, 32:06), Hannah Blechle (11th, 32:46), Josalynn Anaya (14th, 34:24), Maria Nickle (15th, 36:29), Katie Shinabargar (16th, 37:48), and Melody Colonel (19th, 46:28).

Johnston City had four runners including Kalli Lazorchak (13th, 34:22), Michaela Moulton (17th, 39:24) and Miranda Garland (18th, 40:25). Briley Watts did not finish.

Agape Christian's Merinda Wright finished 4th overall with a time of 28:40. She was Agape's only runner. Christopher likewise had only one runner. Sydney Yosanovich finished 5th overall with 28:50.

The winner, Katie King set the course record for the Vienna meet.

Next up, Chester hosts a seven-team meet on Thursday, Sept. 10 at the Randolph County Conservation Area/Lake. Competing teams will be Chester, Christ Our Rock Lutheran of Centralia, Gibault Catholic of Waterloo, Goreville, Johnston City, Red Bud and Steeleville.