The Carbon High cross country team traveled to American Fork high school on Aug. 30 to compete in a grueling two mile grass course and the infamous gauntlet consisting of 25 hay bales. This was a state wide invitational also including schools from Wyoming. Over 30 schools competed in this meet. They ranged from division 2A through 5A class teams.
For the Carbon girl’s, senior Patricia Smith did not mess around. She ran tough and fought through the hay bale course finishing among the top 15 out of 165 females. Smith took 8th place where she was the only 3A division female standing amongst 4A and 5A class girls.
Her time was 13:01. Smith has her sights on region this year and also placing very well in the state. Commented on Smiths performances so far this year, Coach Telisse Allen says “she has guts and knows when to use them.”
Kacylia Ivory also competed for the Carbon girl’s team and ran a personal best. Ivory plays volleyball for Carbon and travels with the cross country team when schedules permit.
For the boys, senior Jordan Tatton led Carbon in the tough field of competition. During the race the athletes made two loops around the perimeter of the high school’s soccer, football and baseball fields, jumping hay bales and fighting for a position. In the junior-senior race there were 192 competitors. Tatton finished 57th, with a time of 12:19. This is a respectable finish among some of the toughest competition in the state.
Sophomore, Kaleb Kulow ran in the freshman-Sophomore race. This event consisted of 160 competitors. Kaleb finished in 54th place with a time of 12:51. Justin Hepworth, freshman, ran a time of 12:58 10 places behind Kaleb. The packs of runners were very tight and aggressive throughout the entire course.
The Carbon team competed in Ferron against Emery and Delta on Wednesday, September 3rd on the Peach Days road race course. This was the first glance they would have at Emery and Delta before region competition. With only 10 meets prior to region and state, each competition is extremely important. The top four teams at region proceed to state, with six tough teams in region eight, its’ going to be a battle for the fourth position.
The three mile race that the team ran in Emery allows time for lots of things to happen. Carbon’s top three boys; Tatton, Kulow and Jared Richens all ran together for the first 2 miles. Delta had two that went out hard and had 300 meters on them the entire race. Tatton with 200 meters left, surged and was able to finish 3rd overall. He edged out Emery’s top finisher with a time of 18:27. Kulow and Richens finished 5th and 8th. Carson Tatton and Kaeden Kulow finished 10th and 11th.
The top five on the team scores are counted; according to place and the low score wins. Emery scored 52 points, Carbon scored 37 points and Delta won the meet with 32 points.
Coach Allen stated, “With the depth of our team we will do well when it comes to region, our top five finishing in the top 11 is outstanding. When three other schools are in the mix we will stack up well.
Luke Olsen and Justin Hepworth were also key contributors, finishing 13th and 15th; displacing Emery and Deltas 5th place runners and forcing a higher point total. We will only get tougher as the season progresses and we know what is expected and what were capable of achieving. ”
Patricia Smith was the 1st place finisher overall in the girl’s race. She beat both Emery’s and Delta’s first place runner.
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