Vinton-Shellsburg’s Alex Torres, Starmont’s Lauren Krogmann race to 2A cross country state-qualifying meet titles

MONTICELLO — It’s remarkable, really, how much a runner can improve in a year.

Particularly between freshman and sophomore years.

“I got stronger,” Vinton-Shellsburg soph Alex Torres said. “More than anything, I just wanted to go to state.”

He’ll go as a district champion.

Running step-by-step, side-by-side with Tipton’s Clay Bohlmann throughout the race, Torres had the decisive push at the end and captured the boys’ individual title at Thursday’s Class 2A state-qualifying meet at Monticello High School.

Quite a departure from last year, when he didn’t qualify.

“(Bohlmann) is a really good runner. I just tried to stay with him,” Torres said. “He’d pull ahead a little bit, I’d pull ahead a little bit.

“It’s fun to race him. He beat me last time we raced.”

This time, Torres finished in 16 minutes, 15 seconds, Bohlmann in 16:18.

Torres’ effort led Vinton-Shellsburg to a strong runner-up finish, behind No. 2-ranked Waukon. The Indians scored 49 points, the Vikings 58.

“We run for each other,” Torres said. “It’s awesome running with your brothers.”

Eli Page and Jack Blais were third and eighth. Waukon countered with a 4-5-7 effort from Wyatt Gulla, Isaac Reisinger and Skyler Dugan.

Anamosa edged Tipton for the third state slot, 98-105.

Girls: Lauren Krogmann flips the race late

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While Torres qualified with his buddies, Lauren Krogmann advanced as a solo act.

Running for the combined Starmont-West Central program, Krogmann caught — then passed — Union Community’s Amilia Condon in the final mile.

Trailing by 12 seconds at the 2-mile mark, Krogmann (a freshman at Starmont) flipped the race late and won in 19:05. Condon finished in 19:17.

“My coach said I was down 12 seconds. I started to pick it up the last 800,” Krogmann said. “I deserve this, I think.

“When I got within 5 feet of her, I started sprinting a little bit harder. I passed her on the curve and just kept it up.”

Krogmann ran middle-school cross country as a seventh-grader, then missed last season with shin splints.

Led by a 5-6 effort by Maria Kehoe and Peyton Ries, Monticello edged Hudson, 77-79, for the girls’ team title. Tipton secured the third spot with 106 points, edging Crestwood by six.

The 2A state competition is Saturday, Oct. 28 at Lakeside Golf Course, Fort Dodge. Girls run at 10:30 a.m., boys at 11:15.

Class 2A state-qualifying cross country meet

At Monticello

Girls results

TEAMS (Top 3 advance)

1. Monticello 77, 2. Hudson 79, 3. Tipton 106, 4. Crestwood 112, 5. Union Community 126, 6. Waukon 135, 7. Vinton-Shellsburg 191, 8. North Fayette Valley 195, 9. MFL MarMac 210, 10. Camanche 226, 11. Anamosa 264, 12. Alburnett 325, 13. Postville 370.

INDIVIDUALS (Top 15 advance)

1. Lauren Krogmann (Starmont-West Central), 19:05; 2. Amilia Condon (Union), 19:17; 3. Kinze Shea (Crest), 19:33; 4. Ava Remley (Ana), 19:46; 5. Marisa Kehoe (Monti), 19:51; 6. Peyton Ries (Monti), 19:53; 7. Desi Lang (Hudson), 19:56; 8. Laney Peter (Crest), 19:56; 9. Laura Owen (Tipton), 19:59; 10. Delany Homas (Cam), 20:04; 11. Mollie Hansen (Hudson), 20:07; 12. Alivia Edens (Tipton), 20:08; 13. Olivia Primrose (V-S), 20:11; 14. Leah Koehler (Monti), 20:13; 15. Mia Kurth (Waukon), 20:32.

Boys results

TEAMS (Top 3 advance)

1. Waukon 49, 2. Vinton-Shellsburg 58, 3. Anamosa 98, 4. Tipton 105, 5. Monticello 115, 6. Crestwood 146, 7. Alburnett 214, 8. Starmont-West Central 259, 9. MFL MarMac 283, 10. Hudson 284, 11. Union Community 287, 12. North Fayette Valley 289, 13. Northeast 292, 14. Postville 336.

INDIVIDUALS (Top 15 advance)

1. Alex Torres (V-S), 16:15; 2. Clay Bohlmann (Tipton), 16:18; 3. Eli Page (V-S), 16:31; 4. Wyatt Gulla (Waukon), 16:34; 5. Isaac Reisinger (Waukon), 16:57; 6. Nathan Ahern (Crest), 16:54; 7. Skyler Dugan (Waukon), 16:57; 8. Aedan Althoff (Monti), 17:05; 9. Jack Blais (V-S), 17:08; 10. Jacob Schellhorn (MFLMM), 17:08; 11. Alex Oswald (Monti), 17:12; 12. Seth Countryman (Ana), 17:21; 13. Caleb Bohlmann (Tipton), 17:22; 14. Brandon Leppert (Waukon), 17:22; 15. Carver Reiss (Ana), 17:29.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com