Sidney Cross Country boys finish Districts second, girls fifth

The Sidney High School boys Cross Country team finished second in the B-4 District meet last week, seven points behind first place Lexington.

"It is kind of what I envisioned," Sidney coach Donna Wiedeburg said.

She said the team continues to improve. An example she cited of big improvements in the team is junior Caedon Snider who improved his personal record by 30 seconds.

Collin Brauer lead the Red Raiders with a time of 16:40.8 for fourth place, a tenth of a second behind third place.

Kaden Vowers came in seventh place with a time of 17:05.79, and Carlos Lucero finished in 11th place with a time of 17:15.9. Caedon Snider finished in 17th place with a time of 17:51.2 and Jacob Peckham finished in 20th place with a time of 18:02.2.

"The boys are focused," she said.

The girls team finished in fifth place as a team, trailing fourth place Lexington by 15 points. Gering won the District B-4 meet.

The first Sidney runner to cross the finish line was senior Charlie Brockhaus in 13th place with a time of 21:13.3. Sophomore Taighlor Arnet came in 15th place with a time of 21:19.4. Senior Kara Birner finished 25th place with a time of 22:55.3.

The girls District supplies hard competition, Wiedeburg said.

She said the team has a new slogan: "Buckle Up." The slogan is meant as an encouragement when one of the runners feels down. It is motivation to mentally get back in the race and run faster.

The Cross Country State meet is scheduled for October 20 in Kearney. This time the Red Raider squad will have runners who were absent last time they competed in Kearney, including Jr Lucas.

Wiedeburg said Friday's meet is the "last dance" for many runners on the team. She said it is a good feeling for her as the coach, to wath life lessons take place: "never give up."

"It has been fun," she said. "It has definitely been an amazing first year (as head coach)."iday to face the 6-1 Bearcats.