The Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School Raiders and the Hunting Hills High School Lightning each grabbed a share in the high school cross-country zone 3A-4A title last week.
Bentley won the 1A-2A Central Alberta School Athletics Association banner, as more than 500 athletes took part in the Oct. 8 race at Riverbend Golf Course and Recreation Area.
The three Red Deer schools combined to send 42 athletes to the Oct. 18 provincials South of Calgary; LTCHS and HHHS both qualified 18 athletes while Notre Dame will send six.
In the senior boys’ six kilometre race, Bashaw’s Scott Kohlman finished first in 21 minutes and 27 seconds, followed by David Erasmus of Provost in 22:24 and Noah Mulzet of Lindsay Thurber in 22:38. The Raiders also qualified Kyle Skogen (12) and Tony Morelli (18). Hunting Hills qualified Ben Arychuk in fourth spot and Brandon Whissell (17). Notre Dame Cougar, Andrew Cemohorsky, was ninth, and also will attend the provincial championships.
The senior girls’ four kilometre race was won by Emily Lucas, of Innisfail, in a time of 16:16. HHHS runner, Dina Iatrou, was second at 16:50 and Thurber’s Shaelyn Moltzahn, finished third in 16:56. Fellow Raider, Rachelle Doyon was 5th. The other provincial qualifiers were all from Hunting Hills: Nagi Iida (6); Haley Kitt (7); Tara McDonald (10); Erika Pearson (11); Megan Johnson (13); and Courtney Ness (18).
The intermediate boys’ five kilometre race was dominated by a number of LTCHS athletes: Robert Chauvet (2) in a time of 19:01; Ben Holmes (4); Ben Isaac (5); Caleb Weber (7); Andrew Armstrong (11); Bret Goller (16) and Vance Lemasurier (19). Hunting Hills was not too far off the pace with four provincial qualifiers: Eric Lutz won gold in a time of 17:50, while Kale Hartley (12); Rohit Razzaq (14); and Reid Sterling (18) rounded out the Lightning runners. Josh Gette of Innisfail was the bronze medalist in a time of 19:10.
The intermediate girls four kilomtre was won by a HHHS duo. Jillian Stewart earned gold in a time of 16:57, followed by Janaya Garbe with silver medal in 17:38. Nikki Ubels of Central Alberta Christian High School won the bronze medal in 17:40.
Other provincial qualifiers include Lindsay Thurber’s Madalyn Smith and Kelsey Lalor who were 4th and 14th. Notre Dame’s Abby Kelly qualified in sixth, while HHHS added four more in Myah Cota (7); Mallory Fisher (10); Lauren Jewkes (16) and Brigitte Lischewski (17).
The junior boys’ four kilometre event was won by Mark Dewit of CACHS in a time of 14:30; silver went to Bennett Brand of Wetaskiwin in 14:42; and bronze was won by Tanner Kowal of Camrose in 14:50. Red Deer athletes Connor Poole of ND (7); Ben Pelletier of ND (8); Easton Leedahl Of LTCHS (10), Caden Shybunka (14) of LTCHS, and Daegen MacDonald (18) of LTCHS all qualified for provincials.
The junior girls three kilometre event was won by Bailey Johnson of HHHS in a time of 12:52; silver went to Sylvia Kaus of Camrose at 13:34; and bronze was won by Jessica Haenni of Pigeon Lake at 13:35. Other Red Deer athletes to qualify for provincials were Morgan deBoon of LTCHS (4); Kamryn Henderson of ND (14); Leah Brunner of ND (15); and Jessie Handley of HHHS (16).