Cross country sweeps for third time this season

Sophia Comas, Online Editor-in-Chief

The Manhattan High Cross Country team swept their latest meet for the third time this season, dominating each division race with first-place finishes across the board. 

The team ran at the Bob Schmoekel Cross Country Invitational yesterday evening as a result of rescheduling because of weather concerns.

According to junior Daniel Harkin, the meet was very low-key.

“It went really well,” Harkin said. “The weather was perfect and there weren’t many teams, so it was a very fun and relaxed meet.”

Harkin led the boys Varsity race with a time of 16:46.6, just 15 seconds before the second place runner. He was followed by senior Luke Wichmann, who ran with a time of 17:30.2, and sophomore Ben Mosier, who ran a time of 17:34.6. Their times contributed to an overall team score of 26 points.

The girls Varsity team raced in a similar fashion, placing with an overall team score of 25 points. Sophomore Jenna Keeley was Manhattan’s top runner, taking second place with a time of 20:13.5. She was followed by freshman Amelia Knopp, who placed third with a time of 20:34.2, and senior Ella Rosenkranz, who placed fourth with a time of 20:39. 

“Everybody was cheering everybody else on,” Keeley said. “Everybody’s been super supportive and that was really fun.”

While the team is happy with the results of last night’s meet, they still wish to improve on their times and personal records. 

According to Harkin, the main goal is to gain confidence for Centennial League and State even though he’s comfortable with his status.  

“[The meets] are great because they’re stress free,” Harkin said. “I can run without too much pressure.”

Other members of the team still look to gain progress, whether it’s through personal records or placement improvements. 

“It feels good,” Keeley said. “I’m just going to move on from here and keep getting better.”