Cross Country runners compete in Pierre

Ipswich traveled to Pierre last Friday for a multi-class, multi-division season-opening high school cross country meet.

Tessa Kilber placed eighth among 33 individual contestants with her 16:44.13 clocking. Melanie Jacobs of Aberdeen Central edged her runner-up teammate Zoe Douglas 15:17.28 to 15:36.90. Ipswich's Emily DeRaad also finished 16th in 17:40.86.

Meanwhile, Maxwell Geditz competed for Ipswich in the boys' varsity race and placed eleventh among 28 boys (14:33.98). Again the boys' champion represented Aberdeen Central in 12:48.46, as did second-place Daniel Street in 13:40.08.

Ashley Ptacek ran for Ipswich in the girls' JV event and placed fourth among 23 runners with her 18:36.71. Makala DeRaad was 22nd at 24:27.43.

Ipswich sent three boys into their JV run, where there were a total of 38 boys. Taylor Thorson was eighth at 15:24.41 and Turner Thorson eleventh in 15:58.86. Evan Onken got 18th in 16:30.04.

Ipswich also entered several runners into some different middle-school events, topped by three Top-10 girls' 3K finishers. Ashlinn Hartwell was second in 13:40.98, Sommer DeRaad third in 13:44.85 and Kaylin Onken, sixth in 14:06.25.

“I thought it was a really good day for everyone,” Coach Todd Thorson said. “We ran everyone in age appropriate races and everyone is on pace to have a great year.”

The Tigers will run in Redfield on Thursday.