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NO SHAME IN SECOND

No. 6 SH behind No. 1 Madrid, Peters and Grove 2nd and 3rd; WCHS?9th overall

STORY CITY — Logan Peters learned his lesson at last week’s Clear Lake Invite. When the temperatures rise, he now knows to pump his body full of fluids prior to race time.

Hydrated and back to his normal fast self, Peters put together his best race of the season at yesterday’s Norsemen Cross Country Invitational to lead the sixth-ranked (Class 1A) Hawks to a runner-up finish in the monstrous field of 16 teams. Only top-ranked (1A) Madrid was better.

Peters struggled in Clear Lake and found himself outside the top 10 by the time he reached the finish line. But yesterday he surged as the finish came into view at River Bend Golf Course.

“I feel like I hydrated a little better coming into this one because I didn’t handle the heat well at Clear Lake,” Peters said after a silver-medal run. “The wind out here got to me a little bit, but the course was fast and that’s what I like.”

Peters had a little extra left over the final 400 meters and was able to push in front of teammate Quinton Grove, who placed third in 17:38. The small gap still had Peters nervous though, which is why he gave one look over his right shoulder just steps before he stretched into the chute in 17:36.

Webster City senior John Piaszynski runs alone during the second mile of the Norsemen Cross Country Invitational yesterday in Story City. DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“I know (Grove) has a strong finish, so I knew in the back of my brain that he was going to come on, but I had that last little kick at the end,” Peters said. “But you never know, next week it could be him with the kick.”

Neither Peters nor Grove elected to go with Madrid’s Sean McDermott, the No. 1-ranked individual and 2017 1A state runner-up, when he turned on the jets just over a mile into the race. McDermott ran alone the remainder of the way and crossed in 16:56, 40 seconds ahead of Peters.

“Me and Q both knew he was going to go out strong and I told myself before the race that I wasn’t going to go after him,” Peters said. “I just wanted to attack where I could attack.”

Ty Skartvedt gave the Hawks a third top-10 finisher. He was seventh in 18:06. Gaige Pickering (19:04) placed 28th and Aaron Hegland (19:45) took 39th in his first race of the season.

Getting Hegland back in the lineup put a smile on the face of Hawks’ head coach Darrell Paulsen.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“I thought that was good for Aaron’s first time out and he’s only going to get stronger,” Paulsen said.

South Hamilton tallied 79 points, 50 behind Madrid (29).

Webster City was back in ninth with 230 points. Jacob Willson, the Lynx No. 2 runner, pulled up with a calf injury early in the race and his absence was certainly felt.

“Today wasn’t his day,” WCHS head coach Joe Lambert said of Willson. “I’ve run with stuff like that and some days you can and some days you can’t. Today is not a good day to blow yourself up for the rest of the season.”

As he has all season, John Piaszynski took the lead for WCHS on the flat terrain and maintained an even pace over the opening two miles. The heat sapped him of his closing push, but he hung on for 14th in 18:17.

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

“JP (Piaszynski) did a great job holding on to a strong pace over those first two miles,” Lambert said.

Without Willson, there was a sizable gap between Piaszynski and the next wave of WCHS runners.

Alex Hooker beat teammate Max Harfst in a foot race to the finish line, as both turned in a time of 20:03. Hooker placed 46th, Harfst 47th. Tucker Judkins (20:38) and Jackson Moberly (20:39) matched strides as well and closed out the scoring for the Lynx in 61st and 62nd, respectively.

Norsemen Invite

At River Bend Golf Course

DFJ photo/Troy Banning

Story City

Thursday

Team Standings

1. Madrid 29; 2. South Hamilton 79; 3. Roland-Story 99; 4. Bondurant-Farrar 116; 5. Dike-New Hartford 153; 6. Saydel 214; 7. Ogden 224; 8. Woodward Academy 228; 9. Webster City 230; 10. Woodward-Granger 268; 11. Nevada 280; 12. Carroll Kuemper 297; 13. Southeast Valley 312; 14. Greene County 315; 15. Colo-NESCO 466; 16. Pleasantville 476.

Individual Winner — Sean McDermott (MAD) 16:56.

South Hamilton Results

2. Logan Peters 17:36; 3. Quinton Grove 17:38; 7. Ty Skartvedt 18:06; 28. Gaige Pickering 19:04; 39. Aaron Hegland 19:45; 48. Clay Willadsen 20:07; 72. Gage Koster 21:11.

Webster City Results

14. John Piaszynski 18:17; 46. Alex Hooker 20:03; 47. Max Harfst 20:03; 61. Tucker Judkins 20:38; 62. Jackson Moberly 20:39; 69. Isaac Bernard 21:07; 73. Jose Ramirez 21:15.

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