ST. JOSEPH — The 43-year-old Spartan Classic has enjoyed quite a run.
The last four Class 1A girls’ state title cross-country teams carted away the first-place trophy at the Spartan Classic. If the streak is extended to five, St. Joseph-Ogden’s Spartans will be thankful.
For the first time in 14 years, SJ-O prevailed in its own meet, outkicking both defending champion St. Teresa and the current No. 1-ranked team, Urbana Uni High, in the 25-school event on Saturday.
SJ-O was seventh in this week’s state poll.
“What does it mean? Not a lot,” SJ-O coach Jason Retz said. “It’s not state, and it’s only 2 miles.”
Officially, the girls’ course is measured at 1.96 miles, not the traditional 3 miles that will be the norm throughout the postseason.
“The girls got out and competed early,” Retz said, “and put themselves in position (to win). All seven were where they needed to be after the first mile.”
Abby Gawthorp finished fourth, Faith Houston sixth and Abby Fisher ninth for the Spartans.
For the second week in a row, Uni High teammates Arielle Summitt and Annemarie Michael placed second and third, respectively, behind record-setter Anna Sophia Keller, from Effingham St. Anthony. The winner’s time was 10 minutes, 24.1 seconds. Summitt crossed in 11:05.1 and Michael in 11:22.2.
Monticello’s leader was Maddie Tutich, in seventh place.
“Those top three,” Retz said, “are head and shoulders above everyone else.”
“That played into it,” he said. “We didn’t have quite the pack we wanted, but it’s not a worry.”
Ponder earns repeat
Tuscola’s Eric Ponder held off Unity’s Andrew Warnes in the final 300 meters and secured his second consecutive Spartan Classic crown.
“To do it again is fantastic,” Ponder said, “knowing a lot of the top state people are here.”
Meet champion Monticello had four of the top 10 runners and posted the lowest team score (55 points) in a decade. Defending champion Unity was the runner-up and had a lower team score (67) than the last nine meet winners.
Ponder finished the 3-mile street course in 14:48 with Warnes trailing by two seconds.
“Eric had an unbelievable kick at the end,” Tuscola coach Doug Robinson said, “the best I have seen from him all year.”
Unity coach Dike Stirrett was unsure what to expect from his athletes. Warnes is nursing a hamstring injury, and No. 2 runner Austin Woodard (who placed eighth) twisted an ankle in a Monday workout.
“Sometimes you rest and run well,” Stirrett said. “Sometimes it backfires. Today it paid off.
“We ran well. So did Monticello. So did Shelbyville.”
The top eight teams in the meet were all ranked among the top 18 in Class 1A this week.
“A loaded field,” Retz said. “I’d not be surprised if two of the state trophy teams ran here.”
Monticello’s first four runners entered the chute within 21 seconds of one another. Matt Norvell was fifth, followed by Justin Furcich (sixth), Zach Mesplay (ninth) and Will Montgomery (10th).
Paxton-Buckley-Loda’s Nick Porter was third, 9 seconds behind Ponder.
“This week was one of our circled meets,” Porter said. “It felt good to get a nice, fast race.”
After hitting the 2-mile mark in 10 minutes, Porter was pleased to cover the final mile in 4:57.6.
“That’s the first negative split I’ve had this year,” he said.
Nine of the top 10 boys were area runners, including seventh-place Brennan Guido, from SJ-O, whose pre-race goal was to place higher than his coach ever did at the Spartan Classic. Retz’s top finish was eighth.
Retz was pleased with his entire lineup.
“All the way to our seventh man, we ran either season or career best (times),” Retz said.