Wauzeka, Seneca Cross Country teams compete at Wauzeka-Steuben Invitational
Gabe Hamann pushes towards the end of the boys varsity race at the Wauzeka-Steuben Invite. He would finish fourth overall out of 60 runners in the race. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Royal runner Jaren Grimsled keeps up with a group of Kickapoo/La Farge runners. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Junior Brett Wagner leads the way for Hornet runners on his way to a runner-up finish at Wauzeka's home invite at Krachey/Enke Fields. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
Wauzeka-Steuben runner Natalie Wright powers through the first lap of the girls varsity race on her way to a sixth place finish. (Derick Kelly/Courier Press)
By Derick Kelly
The Wauzeka-Steuben and Seneca Cross Country teams each began their 2023 seasons by competing in the Wauzeka-Steuben Invitational at Krachey/Enke Fields outside Wauzeka on Tuesday, Aug. 29.
The Hornets took third place as a team in both the girls and boys races. The Hornet girls claimed third place with 69 points, while the boys team scored 74 points.
Brett Wagner earned individual runner-up honors for the Hornet boys with a time of 19:52, while Nolan Reed-Mullikin in finished in fourth place in 20:29 for the Hornets second top-5 individual finish of the meet.
Rounding out the Hornets runners was Parker McCullick in 19th (23:55, Clint Mitchell 24th (26:07), Julius Cooley, 25th (26:48), Theodore Millin, 27th (30:00), and Andrew Mezera in 28th place (32:03)
Leading the way for the Hornets girls team was a sixth place individual finish by Natalie Wright in 26:02. Also competing for the Hornet girls were Isabella Bunders in 14th place (29:23), Mallory McCullick, 15th (29:57), Emma Udelhoven, 16th (30:13), and Leah Peralta in 18th place (34:46).
Seneca was not able to score any team points due to not having a complete team, but they did have several impressive individual showings. Finishing in fourth place was Gabe Hamann in a time of 20:11, while Jaren Grimseld was not too far behind in sixth place in a time of 20:33. Rounding out the scoring for the Royals was Thomas Caya in 33rd in 23:44, while Seaver Rewey was 48th in a time 28:17.
The Hornets Cross Country teams wrapped up a busy week by running in the Darlington Invitational at Darlington High School on Saturday, Sept. 2.
The Hornets boys finished in 14th place as a team with 358 points, while the girls team did not place as not enough runners competed in order to earn a team score.
Brett Wagner was 20th with a time of 19:18 to once again lead the Hornet boys, while Nolan Reed-Mullikin, 74th (23:03), Parker McCullick, 81st (23:44), Julius Cooley, 89th (25:29), Theodore Millin , 94th (28:02), and Andrew Mezera, 95th (28:03) all improved on their times from earlier in the week.
On the girls side, the Hornets were led by Isabella Bunders in 38th place (23:57), Natalie Wright in 43rd place (24:49), and Emma Udelhoven in 56th place (26:30).
Next up for the Hornets is the River Valley Invitational at the Spring Green Municipal Golf Course on Saturday, Sept. 9, with races starting at 8:30 a.m, while the next meet for the Royals is the North Crawford Invitational at North Crawford High School in Soldiers Grove on Tuesday, Sept. 12. at 5 p.m.
