Published: November 02, 2009 07:31 am      

Prince of Peace's Griffin repeats as state runner-up

Herald Staff Report

FORT DODGE — For the second year in a row, Audrey Griffin peaked at just the right time. And, for the second year in a row, she returned to Clinton as a state runner-up in cross country.

Griffin, a sophomore at Prince of Peace, ran her best race of the year Saturday and claimed second place in Class 1A at the Iowa state girls cross country meet at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course. Griffin ran the 4,000-meter course in 15 minutes, 17 seconds, finishing 26 seconds behind champion Katy Moen of Fairbank Wapsie Valley.

“I kind of wish I ran a little faster, but the wind was really bad out there; it was real bad at the finish, coming right at you,” Griffin said.

Moen went to the front early, leading Grace Moore of Mason City Newman by six seconds after one mile, and stretched her lead from there. Griffin trailed Moore by two seconds after one mile but moved into second as she ran the second mile in 6:23. Moore finished third, 17 seconds behind Griffin.

“I kind of got held back, but after the mile mark I got up with Grace Moore,” Griffin said. “I tried to catch Katy Moen. She went out real fast, and I couldn’t catch her in the end.”

Prince of Peace coach Dave Lawrence was pleased with Griffin’s effort.

“She had a tough year,” he said. “Bronchitis really slowed her down. She made a nice recovery. Her effort was probably about the equivalent of her run last year.”

Griffin’s second-place finish a year ago — on a warm, sunny day — was in 14:44, two seconds ahead of Moen.

“It’s a very nice course and relatively easy, but because it was muddier than usual and windy, the times were about 30 seconds off last year,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence and Griffin also were pleased with the rest of the team, as the Irish moved up from a 15th-place finish a year ago to a tie for 11th this time with 222 points. Conrad BCLUW was awarded 11th place because of the sixth-runner tiebreaker.

“I thought we’d do a little better, but 11th is pretty good for what we had been running the whole year,” Griffin said.

Late charges by several Irish runners helped them move up in the standings.

“Katie Isenhour ran a very nice race,” Lawrence said of his junior who placed 19th overall in 16:03. “It was the best race of her life. She came back and beat almost all of them that were within her sights. Chrissy Kokjohn was able to pick off three runners in the last 50 yards, and that was enough to get us from 13th to 11th. Anna (Yackshaw) also passed a lot of people down the stretch.”

Kokjohn wound up in 82nd place, while Yackshaw was 88th.

The Irish will look to move up again next year, as the top five runners return.

“We’re happy with that, and we have Jackie (Kokjohn), a two-time middle-school state champion joining us,” Lawrence said.

Prince of Peace’s Big East Conference rival, Bellevue Marquette, finished in the top 10 Saturday, claiming seventh in the Class 1A team standings with 194 points. Freshman Sarah Lampe led the Mohawks with a 12th-place finish in 15:55. Nodaway Valley won the team title with 126 points.

Clinton High put a pair of runners in the top 30 in the girls Class 4A race. Senior Grace Shemwell moved up from 61st place a year ago and finished 24th in 15:27, a personal best. Sophomore Kate Kaster crossed the finish line in 27th place in 15:33.

“Grace has had a very successful running career,” Clinton coach Wes Golden said. “She is now the third-fastest girl in CHS history. Additionally, she is one of only a few, if not the only girl, in CHS history to qualify individually for the state meet two years in a row.

“What is neat about Kate’s story is that this is her first year of running cross country. She ran like a veteran this year. ... This year gave Kate a tremendous amount of experience and confidence. She now has a taste of what the state meet is like.”

Camanche’s Lorena Temple, a top-10 finisher a year ago, claimed 25th in 2A in 16:07.

Central DeWitt claimed fifth place in the Class 3A boys meet. The Sabers finished with 144 points, nine behind fourth-place Grinnell. Pella won the title with 95.

Nolan Knudson and Ryan Hamby led the Sabers, finishing 25th and 26th overall (19th and 20th among team-scoring runners). Knudson finished in 17:05, Hamby in 17:08.

Codie Adams of Camanche ran a 17:11 to place 22nd in the Class 2A boys race.



IOWA STATE CROSS COUNTRY

Class 1A girls

Team standings — 1. Nodaway Valley 126; 2. Dike-New Hartford 127; 3. Panora Panorama 146; 4. Griswold 157; 5. Elkader Central 162; 6. Fort Dodge St. Edmond 172; 7. Bellevue Marquette 194; 8. Jackson Junction Turkey Valley 202; 9. Edgewood-Colesburg 210; 10. Gowrie Prairie Valley 211; 11. Conrad BCLUW* 222; 12. Prince of Peace 222; 13. Grundy Center 224; 14. Galva-Holstein/SC 258; 15. Troy Mills North Linn 346.

Individual leaders — 1. Katy Moen (Fairbank Wapsie Valley) 14:52; 2. Audrey Griffin (Prince of Peace) 15:17; 3. Grace Moore (Mason City Newman) 15:34; 4. Erin Reedy (Algona Bishop Garrigan) 15:37; 5. Jenny Kuennen (Turkey Valley) 15:37; 6. Susan Herr (Nodaway Valley) 15:38; 7. Tiffany Shepherd (Corning) 15:40; 8. Haddie Vawter (BCLUW) 15:42; 9. Alex Larsen (Neola Tri-Center) 15:43; 10. Danielle Schweitzer (Winthrop East Buchanan) 15:45.

MARQUETTE — 12. (5) Sarah Lampe 15:55; 40. (23) Katherine Herrig 16:25; 75. (48) Paige Daugherty 17:13; 83. (56) Anna Lampe 17:36; 89. (62) Andrea Frank 17:53; 102. (74) Theresa Koos 18:18; 109. (81) Madeline schroeder 18:42.

PRINCE OF PEACE — 2. (1) Griffin 15:17; 19. (9) Katie Isenhour 16:03; 82. (55) Chrissy Kokjohn 17:36; 88. (61) Anna Yackshaw 17:53; 125. (96) Taylor Determan 19:57; 128. (99) Jill Crigger 20:10.

(Note — Number in parentheses finish among runenrs from competing teams and indiciates team points earned.)

Class 2A girls

Team standings — LaPorte City Union 57; 2. Pekin 60; 3. Iowa City Regina 116; 4. Orange City Unity Christian 132; 5. Hudson 182; 6. Spirit Lake 193; 7. Cascade 194; 8. Humboldt 206; 9. Wilton 224; 10. Alleman North Polk 230; 11. Solon 236; 12. Sioux Center 239; 13. Missouri Valley 253; 14. Albia 354; 15. Central Springs 454.

Individual leaders — 1. Morgan Casey (Northeast/East Central) 14:53; 2. Ashley Frush (Union) 15:17; 3. Nicole Kleinmeyer (Regina) 15:18; 4. Jodi Miller (Sumner-Fredericksburg) 15:18; 5. Emily Franks (Northeast/East Central) 15:19; 6. Brittany Frush (Union) 15:20; 7. Celsey Conger (Pekin) 15:26; 8. Katerina Althoff (Cascade) 15:29; 9. Paige Sears (Union) 15:32; 10. Becca Ellis (GLR-CL) 15:36.

Also — 25. Lorena Temple (Camanche) 16:07.

Class 3A girls

Team standings — 1. Dubuque Wahlert 84; 2. Decorah 96; 3. Cedar Rapids Xavier 138; 4. Denver/Tripoli 142; 5. Pella 152; 6. Davenport Assumption 164; 7. Williamsburg 178; 8. Sioux City Bishop Heelan 202; 9. Van Horne Benton Community 219; 10. Atlantic 251; 11. Estherville-Lincoln Central 254; 12. Harlan 267; 13. Garner-Hayfield/West Hancock 293; 14. Huxley Ballard 296; 15. Boone 304.

Individual leaders — 1. Ali Krogman (Atlantic) 15:07; 2. Moran Lonning (Decorah) 15:16; 3. Alex Wilson (Mount Vernon/Lisbon) 15:18; 4. Sarah Burnell (Grinnell) 15:20; 5. Anna Holdiman (Waverly-Shell Rock) 15:21; 6. Haley Stevens (Denver/Tripoli) 15:32; 7. Kaia Miller (Decorah) 15:35; 8. Erin Sawyers (Winterset) 15:37; 9. Steph Markey (Nevada) 15:38; 10. Kelsey Kirchoff (Denver/Tripoli) 15:41.

Class 4A girls

Team standings — West Des Moines Dowling 57; 2. Iowa City High 65; 3. Iowa City West 107; 4. West Des Moines Valley 117; 5. Bettendorf 161; 6. Urbandale 188; 7. Marion Linn-Mar 202; 8. Ames 205; 9. Ankeny* 240; 10. Pleasant Valley 240; 11. Waukee 259; 12. Cedar Rapids Washington 276; 13. Sioux City East 320; 14. Mason City 338; 15. Cedar Falls 365.

Individual leaders — 1. Katie Flood (Dowling) 13:50; 2. Ashlie Decker (Dowling) 13:53; 3. Shelby Houlihan (SC East) 14:14; 4. Madie Hubbell (Des Moines Roosevelt) 14:40; 5. Brooklynn Kascel (Linn-Mar) 14:45; 6. Rebecca Rethwisch (City High) 14:51; 7. Erin Danielson (City High) 14:58; 8. Mary Kenney (Valley) 14:59; 9. Molly Leveille (IC West) 14:59; 10. Maddie Becker (CR Washington) 15:01.

Also — 24. Grace Shemwell (Clinton) 15:27; 27. Kate Kaster (Clinton) 15:33.

Class 1A boys

Team standings — 1. Kalona Iowa Mennonite School 71; 2. Conrad BCLUW 98; 3. Tipton 111; 4. Woodbine 146; 5. Council Bluffs St. Albert 157; 6. Elkader Central 185; 7. Fort Dodge St. Edmond 195; 8. Paullina South O’Brien 214; 9. Logan-Magnolia* 235; 10. Laurens-Marathon 235; 11. Nashua-Plainfield 253; 12. Wapello 261; 13. Jewell South Hamilton 306; 14. Grundy Center* 310; 15. Lone Tree 310.

Individual leaders — 1. Bill Spencer (IMS) 16:26; 2. Dane McDonald (BCLUW) 16:43; 3. Parker Drake (Ackley AGWSR) 16:43; 4. Taylor Huseman (Manson Northwest Webster) 16:45; 5. Chase Moser (Wapello) 16:48; 6. Truman Shetler (IMS) 16:51; 7. Jay Welp (Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn) 16:52; 8. Glen Morgan (Winfield-Mount Union) 16:53; 9. Ethan Rogers (Tipton) 16:53; 10. Levi Storjohann (BXLUW) 17:03.

Class 2A boys

Team standings — Spirit Lake 60; 2. Calmar South Winneshiek 77; 3. Wilton 102; 4. Odebolt-Arthur/Battle Creek-Ida Grove 136; 5. Monticello 177; 6. Pella Christian 195; 7. Iowa City Regina 205; 8. Wellman Mid-Prairie 210; 9. LeGrand East Marshall 213; 10. Orange City Unity Christian 218; 11. Hudson 222; 12. Osage 225; 13. Solon 303; 14. Albia 347; 15. Story City Roland-Story 426.

Individual leaders — 1. Garret Ehlers (OA/BCIG) 16:08; 2. Alec Baldwin (Spirit Lake) 16:22; 3. Tim Bierma (Hull West Christian) 16:25; 4. Brett Losen (S. Winneshiek) 16:30; 5. Zach Baker (Eddyville-Blakesburg) 16:31; 6. Zach Thompson (Eagle Grove) 16:36; 7. Logan Hovland (Buffalo Center North Iowa) 16:39; 8. Chris Postma (Unity) 16:43; 9. Jud Schneider (Monticello) 16:46; 10. WIll Norris (Spirit Lake) 16:49.

Also — 22. Codie Adams (Camanche) 17:11.

Class 3A boys

Team standings — 1. Pella 95; 2. Boone 109; 3. Algona 118; 4. Grinnell 135; 5. Central DeWitt 144; 6. Decorah 153; 7. Glenwood 174; 8. Dubuque Wahlert 184; 9. Knoxville 192; 10. LeMars 253; 11. Charles City 271; 12. Dallas Center-Grimes 281; 13. Marion 291; 14. Mount Vernon/Lisbon 310; 15. Garner-Hayfield 318.

Individual leaders — 1. Brogan Austin (Boone) 15:35; 2. Conner Smock (Mount Vernon/Lisbon) 15:39; 3. Johnny Fuller (Glenwood) 16:00; 4. Ryan McMahon (Algona) 16:09; 5. Chad Rutledge (Algona) 16:13; 6. Zach Buchheit (Pella) 16:14; 7. Evan Selsor (Winterset) 16:16; 8. Dan Rediske (Waverly-Shell Rock) 16:18; 9. Dennis Lengishon (Atlantic) 16:22; 10. Brian Minear (Decorah) 16:23.

CENTRAL DEWITT — 25. (19) Nolan Knudson 17:05; 26. (20) Ryan Hamby 17:08; 29. (22) Ben Niemann 17:12; 45. (36) Matt Zimmer 17:24; 59. (47) Matt Volkens 17:40; 107. (89) Jordan Murray 18:44; 112. (94) Nick Jewell 18:57.

(Note — Number in parentheses finish among runenrs from competing teams and indiciates team points earned.)

Class 4A boys

Team standings — 1. Burlington 106; 2. Cedar Rapids Prairie 109; 3. Pleasant Valley 136; 4. Iowa City High 159; 5. Cedar Falls 161; 6. Dubuque Senior 179; 7. Southeast Polk 179; 8. Cedar Rapids Washington 192; 9. Indianola 211; 10. Urbandale 215; 11. Ankeny 220; 12. West Des Moines Dowling 223; 13. West Des Moines Valley 235; 14. Bettendorf 249; 15. Carroll Kuemper 423.

Individual leaders — 1. Marshall Moyer (Burlington) 15:48; 2. Tyler Meseke (Pleasant Valley) 15:52; 3. Andrew Barrett (Des Moines Roosevelt) 15:57; 4. Kevin Lewis (Ottuma) 15:58; 5. Ty WIttman (Dubuque Senior) 15:59; 6. Ryne Murphy (Ankeny) 16:01; 7. Scott Mittman (City High) 16:01; 8. JT McCarthy (Burlington) 16:04; 9. Cole Decker (Dowling) 16:07; 10. Paul Yak (Storm Lake) 16:08.

* — Won sixth-runner tiebreaker