McCook girls win first invite; boys top four at NP

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

McCook sophomores Brecken Gale (left) and Emma Cappel

R.B. Headley/McCook Gazette

ORTH PLATTE, Neb. — All the 6 or 7 a.m. workouts had McCook High’s cross country runners ready to go at Saturday’s North Platte Invitational.

In fact, no girls team could top the champion MHS girls.

They earned half of the top six places as senior Izzy Renner ran like a track star McCook fans cheered on last spring.

Renner took second, sophomore Emma Cappel third and sophomore Brecken Gale sixth.

Juniors Maryann Kassner-Macfee (22nd/24:36.53) and Megan Miller (23rd/24:37.73) were also outran more than half the 50 girls who finished this steamy August opening race.

“I feel like we are off to a good start. It was very nice to see all the kids run so well,” coach Tom Sughroue commented. On the girls side, placing three in the top six really set us up for a good team score.”

“On the boys side, we ran very well,” the coach added.

Returning Class C Top 10 medalist Josiah Wilkinson took fifth while leading McCook’s boys into fourth place overall.

Returning qualifier Grant Cappel wasn’t far behind Wilkinson’s pace (20 seconds) en route to seventh place.

“They’re both running faster than a year ago,” Sughroue said.

Senior Grant Wells delivered another bright Bison highlight, taking 25th among 80 varsity finishers with his time of 19:09.29.

“Grant Wells may have had the best race of the day!” Sughroue proclaimed. “Running nearly two minutes faster than he did a year ago. We were very pleased with the way the boys competed.”

Bison freshman Ethan Boner also finished in 31st place at 20:12.88.

Freshman Jacob Harms (42nd) and senior Evan Mai (43) were the middle of this big pack.

GIRLS

Top 10 medalists: 1. L. Henning, Ogallala, 18:52.99; 2. Izzy Renner, MC, 19:46.36; 3. Emma Cappel, MC, 20:26.15; 4. J. Hothan, NP, 21:02.2; 5. L. Henning, OGA, 21:34.86; 6. Brecken Gale, MC, 21:42.84; 7. B. Brown, NP, 21:47.69; 8. L. Schauda, Broken Bow, 21:54.07; 9. J. Staples, Broken Bow, 22:50.39; 10. H. Hoatson, NP, 22:57.95.

BOYS

Top 10 medalists: 1. J. Miles, North Platte St. Patrick’s, 16:45.25; 2. R. Teets, North Platte, 17:03.06; 3. A. Hawks, North Platte, 17:04.28; 4. L. Tegtmeier, NP, 17:09.03; 5. Josiah Wilkinson, MC, 17:18.31; 6. J. Knapp, North Platte, 17:22.68; 7. Grant Cappel, MC, 17:38.98; 8. P. Connick, North Platte St. Patrick’s, 17:50.43; 9. S. Laflan, Ogallala, 17:59.11; 10. D. Pettitt, North Platte St. Patrick’s, 17:50.43.

McCook capped the strong opening day with four junior boys sweeping those top four places: