CROSS COUNTRY

The HU cross country program kicked off its season Thursday afternoon at the Manchester University Hokum Karem with both team having solid performances. Had it been a scored team event, both squads would have topped the standings.

“The Hokum Karem is always a fun way to start the season and a good test of fitness coming off summer training,” said Coach Lauren Davenport Johnson. “We have a lot of new people this year and it will be exciting to see where they all end up fitting in.”

The Hokum Karem originated at Wabash College over 50 years ago. Legendary Little Giants Coach J. Owen Huntsman created the event which partners two runners together, alternating loops over a one-mile circuit for a total of six miles for women and eight miles for men.

On the women’s side, Shelby Christman and Carmen Trier topped the field by clocking in at 35:32.1 for an average mile time of 5:55. Christman’s first mile of 5:28 proved her fastest and the meet’s fastest among the 15 female pairs. She would go on to turn in two more sub-six minute miles.

Abby Mays and Addy Willey finished a few seconds later in 35:37.4 having averaged a 5:56 mile. Like Christman, all three of Wiley’s miles were under six minutes. The field dropped off after that as over three minutes separated the St. Mary’s pair who finished third.

The duo of Deann Fry and Shay Reyes took ninth in 41:59.8 while Amelia Strzechowski and Morgann Hart claimed 11th in 45:36.3. Keagan Cole and Evelyn Cole teamed up to finish 12th in 46:10.8 to round out HU’s performances.

Reece Gibson and Kent Yoder paired up to claim first out of 15 teams on the men’s side by averaging 4:59 per mile for an overall time of 39:53.2. Austin Liepe and Matthew Hyter weren’t far behind in second with a time of 40:05.2 (5:01 mile average). Like the women’s race, three minutes would pass before the third place team finished.

Jonah Lemmon and Isaac Combs navigated the circuit in 44:07.1 for fourth place. Coming in sixth was Jackson Robinson and Markis Crosbie in 45:12.6. Riley Brand and Paul Bickel paired up to finish 10th in 48:50.4. The team of Wyatt Harrington and Andrew Eubank finished 12th in 49:30.3.

The twosome of Zach Collins and Dylan Felger turned in a 53:04.7 to cross the line 13th while Blake Miller and Patrick Gunsett came in next in 55:17.8.

Next up for the Foresters is the IWU Twilight Invitational on September 9.