Spartans & Wolves perform at ACGC for SQM

The Exira-EHK Spartans and IKM-Manning Wolves competed at ACGC High School for the 1A cross country state qualifying meet, but nobody qualified as a team or individual. Raegan Garrison on the girls side was the fastest runner finishing 11th overall with a time of 21:29.50, and Camden Morris was the fastest boy with 19:05.10 coming in 16th overall.
The girls as a team finished in third place with 88 points, 20 points behind ACGC who won, while the boys got 115 points finishing fifth, finishing 64 points behind ACGC, who won the event.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get any individuals or a full team to the State Meet,” said Wolves Head Coach Robert Cast. “However, I was pleased with the effort the team gave today, and the effort they gave the entire season.”
The Spartans managed to get one boy to qualify as an individual in Junior Austin Rasmussen who finished in seventh place with 17:59.30, less than 50 seconds behind Senior Parker Heisterkamp of St. Albert Council Bluffs who won the event with 17:14.50.
“It feels amazing,” Rasmussen said. “I worked all season for this moment and it’s here. All those long days are paying off now. Some of those days, you didn’t want to go out there and do that 12-mile long run at 6 A.M., but you do it, get through it, and get rewarded.”
On the girls side, Sophomore Michelle Wilson was the fastest Spartan coming in 18th overall with a time of 22:41.90, finishing over a minute behind Sophomore Charger Cadence Petersen who took the individual qualifying spot at 10th place with 21:26.90.
“Michelle has run at the ACGC course three times, and this was her fastest time of the three,” said Spartan Head Coach Kevin Brown. “Last year she would have qualified if we went to the same kind of qualifying site. Unfortunately the state was loaded on the girls side at the ACGC 1A district. I know it definitely stings, but it also lights a fire, which I hope can translate into more motivation in the off-season and into the track season. I am confident she will bounce back and be back next season.”
For the Spartans, Tim Reinhart, Gracie Bartz, Olivia Dixon, and Ruby VanderWal will not be returning due to graduation.
“I am proud of the work the seniors have put in,” Brown said. “They will be missed next season. I am looking forward to seeing if we can bring some new faces to the team next season.”
For the Wolves, Kasche Huehn, Abe Polzien, Emily Albertsen, Taylor Beckendorf are not returning due graduation.
“We will for sure miss the leadership and work ethic of our seniors,” Cast said. “They have contributed so many great things to our program over the years.
With the state meet for Rasmussen set to take place Nov. 2 in Fort Dodge, Rasmussen talked about his excitement for that day.
“I’m excited to be there,” he said. “I just wanted to get there, so we’ll see what happens when we get there.”