Sidney Cross Country competes in Panhandle Classic

The Sidney High School Cross Country team competed in the Panhandle Classic in Scottsbluff Aug. 24.

This first meet was a mixture of excitement and nerves, according to coach Donna Wiedeburg.

"We have a lot of new runners who have never raced before and this was a great learning experience for them," she said.

She said the middle school runners had an impressive first day out. The team was able to place six middle school boys in the top 10, an accomplishment Weideburg called "an incredible sight to see." She said the middle school boys are very competitive every day at practice and it showed during the Panhandle Classic. Sidney eighth grade runners captured the top four places in the middle school boys 3,000 meter run. Tre Canas took first with a time of 11.38, Daniel Bashtovoi second with a time of 11.51, Mitch Deer third with a time of 11.58 and Cameron Brauer fourth with a time of 12.05.

Other Sidney Middle School finishers include Julian Maytorena (8th grade) in seventh place with a time of 12:36, Ryan Konz (8th) ninth place with a time of 12:44, Cauyer Glanz (8th grade) 17th place with a time of 13.24, Isaac Trujillo (8th grade) 25th place with a time of 14.11, Luis Hernandez (8th grade) in 31st place with a time of 14:25, Kayden Galvan (7th grade) finished in 37th place with a time of 14.37 tied with Danny Steele (8th grade) of Alliance, Neb., Kole Houser (8th grade) finished in 38th place with a time of 14.48, Austin Glanz (7th grade) finished in 41st place with a time of 15 minutes, Logan Banaszak (8th grade) finished in 51st place with a time of 15.48, Gavin Allen (7th grade) finished in 52nd place with a time of 15.54, Ben Colerick (7th place) finished in 54th place with a time of 16.01, Troy Weaver (7th grade) finished in 61st place with a time of 17.31, Anshu Gilliyaru (7th gradee) finished in 62nd place with a time of 17.34 and Kaleb Dietz (8th grade) finished in 64th place with a time of 18.06.

The middle school girls have been working hard toward the Panhandle Classic, the first race for many of them Eighth grader Lydia Peters finsihed with a time of 15.28 in 20th place, eighth grader Karalyn Stevens finished with a time of 16.48 in thirty-third place, seventh grader Anna Lenzen finished in forty-third place with a time of 18.13, eighth grader Saria Calvin finished in forty-sixth place with a time of 18.31, eighth grader Cierra Grund finished 48th with a time of 18.43 and eighth grader Elena Nuefeld finished 49th with a time of 18.55, eighth grader Elsa Highby finsiehd 54th with a time of 21.39, seventh grader Grace Bowcut finished 55th with a time of 21.40 and eighth grader Charity Backer finsiehd 62nd place with a time of 25.52.

"They will continue to get stronger and push themselves and one another," Weideburg said.

The high school girls competed strong, resulting in three medals and three that nearly medaled in the Panhandle Classic. Sidney sophomore Taighlor Arnett finished fourth with a time of 21.54, senior Charlie Brockhaus finished ninth with a time of 22.59 and junior Hannah Kennedy finished in 23rd place with a time of 24.50.

"The high school girls had a solid race and there were a couple of new competitors emerge for varsity spots. I can't wait to see where this season takes all of them," Wiedeburg said.

Also finishing were senior Kylie Rosedall in 26th with a time of 25.15, senior Emma Tuzicka in 27th place with a time of 25.17, sophomore Jaecee Drapal in 30th place with a time of 25.33, freshman Miranda Ahrendt in 31st place with a time of 25.38, senior Kollyn Weimer in 36th with a time of 26.27, junior Allison Nesbitt in 37th place with a time of 26.30, junior Clara Kokjer in 51st place with a time of 28.16, senior Aspen Arent in 57th place with a time of 29.28, junior Hannah Langley in 58th with a time of 29.31, sophomore Lani Kuhns in 68th with a time of 31.17, freshman Marissa Borchard in 69th with a time of 32.17, and freshman Elizabeht Weimer in 74th place with a time of 34.42.

"The top six who will run varsity in Gering on Friday are different than the top six from a week ago and I imagine that's how it will be all season," Weideburg said.

She added there were a lot of personal records on the course in Scottsbluff.

"Not all victories are awarded with medals, some are found in new confidences, proud smiles, the cheering of your teammates, and just the knowledge of knowing they got stronger one step at a time. We are going to continue to work hard and take things one day at a time, one race at a time and keep pressing forward toward our individual and team goals," she said.