Pack carries Linn-Mar girls to MVC title

CEDAR RAPIDS -- Linn-Mar's pack mentality was born last week.

"It started (at the Linn-Mar Invitational) at Tuma (Soccer Complex)," said Brooklyn Kascel. "It helps tremendously.

"If you feel tired, you have some of your best friends right next to you. It gives you an extra boost."

That cluster of support boosted the Lions to the girls' team title of the Mississippi Valley Conference Super cross country meet on a beautiful afternoon Thursday at Noelridge Park.

Five Linn-Mar girls finished in the top 11, and that was more than enough to offset Cedar Falls' 1-2 finish by Allison Gregg and Brianna King. Linn-Mar tallied 35 points, Cedar Falls 51. Iowa City High was third with 74.

"It's really exciting," Kascel said. "We wanted to come out and show that we are competitors."

Competitors, and contenders. Linn-Mar is ranked No. 2 in Class 4A by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches.

Kascel led the Lions for the first time this season, placing fourth. Carolyn Newhouse, Rachel Perry, Morgan Uridil and Maddie Saville were fifth, seventh, eighth and 11th.

Check out highlights from KCRG-TV9 Sports:

Cedar Falls prevailed in a tight four-team boys' race. The Tigers finished with 86 points to hold off Cedar Rapids Washington (93), Linn-Mar (93) and Iowa City West (100).

Linn-Mar sophomore Josh Evans remained unbeaten against Iowa competition this season, pulling away at the mile mark and running in 15:52.

"I was where I wanted to be at a mile, so I took off there," Evans said. "I felt a little more tired today. We've been going pretty hard."

Washington's Etienne Nzoyisaba (16:04) and Robert Hogg (16:06) were second and fourth. Jacob Aune of Cedar Rapids Prairie was fifth.

City High's Meg Richardson was third in the girls' race.

GIRLS' RESULTS (complete results)

Teams -- 1. Linn-Mar 35, 2. Cedar Falls 51, 3. Iowa City High 74, 4. Iowa City West 116, 5. C.R. Kennedy 141, 6. Dubuque Senior 156, 7, Dubuque Wahlert 162, 8. C.R. Washington 197, 9. C.R. Prairie 246, 10. Dubuque Hempstead 261, 11. C.R. Xavier 314, 12. Waterloo West 371, 13. C.R. Jefferson 381, 14. Waterloo East 450.

Individuals -- 1. Allison Gregg (CF), 14:38; 2. Brianna King (CF), 14:45; 3. Meg Richardson (ICH), 14:56; 4. Brooklynn Kascel (LM), 14:57; 5. Carolyn Newhouse (LM), 15:00; 6. Pombie Silverman (ICW), 15:02; 7. Rachel Perry (LM), 15:04; 8. Morgan Uridil (LM), 15:06; 9. Molly Leveille (ICW), 15:09; 10. Shannon Gorman (CRW), 15:14; 11. Maddie Saville (LM), 15:18; 12. Harper Beasley (ICH), 15:22; 13. Cassy Herkelman (CF), 15:22; 14. Lindsey Bruns (ICH), 15:25; 15. Bree Gaster (CRP), 15:25; 16. Erin Danielson (ICH), 15:32; 17. Hannah Savage (CF), 15:32; 18. Kate Halloran (CF), 15:35; 19. Alyssa Averhoff (CRK), 15:37; 20. Lauren Rusch (DW), 15:38.

BOYS' RESULTS (complete results)

Teams -- 1. Cedar Falls 86, 2. C.R. Washington 93, 3. Linn-Mar 93, 4. Iowa City West 100, 5. C.R. Prairie 162, 6. Iowa City High 167, 7. Dubuque Senior 167, 8. Dubuque Hempstead 182, 9. Dubuque Wahlert 219, 10. Waterloo West 241, 11. C.R. Kennedy 245, 12. C.R. Jefferson 312, 13. C.R. Xavier 319, 14. Waterloo East 455.

Individuals -- 1. Josh Evans (LM), 15:52; 2. Etienne Nzoyisaba (CRW), 16:04; 3. Calvin Daack (DH), 16:04; 4. Robert Hogg (CRW), 16:06; 5. Jacob Aune (CRP), 16:09; 6. Adam Streicher (CF), 16:10; 7. Mitch Pritts (CRP), 16:12; 8. Matthew Adrian (CF), 16:13; 9. Anthony Ohl (WW), 16:15; 10. Brook Price (ICH), 16:19; 11. Chase Grabau (LM), 16:20; 12. Daniel Gardarsson (ICW), 16:21; 13. Jaime Zarate (CF), 16:21; 14. Bailey Wetherell (ICW), 16:23; 15. Isaac Jensen (ICW), 16:24; 16. Kody Fitzjerrells (DS), 16:32; 17. Michael Hart (ICH), 16:34; 18. Dylan Eigenberger (DS), 16:35; 19. Laurent Hakizimana (CRW), 16:37; 20. Blake Whalen (DS), 16:38.