CL boys take top honors

Clear Lake cross country teams started the season on a strong note.  The boys team finished in first place out of eight teams with 38 points at the Iowa Falls-Alden Invitational run at Mayne’s Grove Thursday, Aug. 24.  The girls team finished sixth with 128 points.

Pedelty overall winner

Clear Lake boys placed four runners in the top 15, with Sam Pedelty being the overall winner with a time of 17:25.

“Sam put in a lot of time training this summer and the effects were evident as he took the lead early in the race and never gave it up,” said Lions Coach Nick DiMarco.

Eric Faught started the season off in fine form, finishing third in a time of  17:45.

“Eric has been at the front of the pack since his freshman year and looks to have a great 2017 season,” added DiMarco.

Finishing third for the Lions and ninth overall was the surprise of the night, freshman Justin Wright, finishing in a time of 18:27.   Close behind Wright was Ike Branstad, placing 11th overall in a time of 18:29.  The coach noted Branstad was a state qualifier last year and is motivated to have another successful season.  Next for the Lions was Dylan Schuchard, finishing 14th overall in 18:52.

“This summer Dylan attended the NIACC and Wartburg cross country camps with teammates Sam and Jacob Pedelty, and Eric Faught.  This additional training showed in his first race of the season,” said the coach.  Next came the Lions pack with Jacob Peterson in 19th place (19:22), Karter Anderson in 20th (19:23), and Lewis Callaway in 22nd place (19:24).  “These three runners worked together to get through the difficult portions of the course demonstrating the power of teamwork.”

  Also running for the Lions was: 33rd place, Ben Stroup (20:38); 36th, Jackson Hamlin (21:13); 43rd, Carter Backhaus (21:46); 47th,  Noan Colby (21:51); 49th, Jacob Pedelty (21:58); 53rd, David Lincicum (22:05); 55th, Joel Groenweg (22:08); 56th, Carter Olk (22:11); 58th, Noah Peterson (22:15); 63rd, Josh Howard (22:52); 70th, Theo Swanson (23:17); 73rd, Elijah Mock (23:25); 75th, Austin Young (23:25); 82nd, David Guetzlaff (24:10); 99th, Ty Piper (25:05); 100th, Connor Morey (25:18); 106th, Nick Currier (26:08); 107th, Tim Swanson (26:11); 112th, Braden Byners (26:58); 118th, Alex Starbeck (28:26); and 121st, Cody Piper (31:38).