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Thompson starts strong
By DANA BECKER: Messenger Sports Writer
WEBSTER CITY — Fort Dodge senior Katie Thompson spent all summer waiting for Tuesday’s Webster City Cross Country
Invitational.
Thompson, who earned a strong finish at the state meet last fall, kicked the 2007 season off on the right note, clocking a time of
15:00 to claim the girls race.
Thompson’s victory, though, wasn’t enough to lift Fort Dodge to another team title, as the host Lynx earned gold. Boone was
second, followed closely by Algona, St. Edmond, the Dodgers, Roland-Story, Hampton-Dumont, Humboldt, Prairie Valley,
Southeast Webster-Grand, Eagle Grove and Clarion-Goldfield.
‘‘It seems like ages since the end of track,’’ Thompson said. ‘‘The gap between the end of track season and the start of cross
country gives you a lot of time to work on conditioning and getting yourself prepared.
‘‘But it just seems like it takes forever for the season to start.’’
Webster City, ranked 14th in Class 3A, served notice to the rest of the state and the North Central Conference by placing two
runners in the Top-10, led by runner-up Mikaela Pruismann. Breanne Wagner finished 10th.
‘‘That was a tighter team pack than I ever expected to see,’’ WCHS head coach Tony Bussan said. ‘‘These girls really impressed
me. I thought we could contend, but to do what we did, I’m very pleased.’’
Fellow NCC rival St. Edmond also flexed early-season power, as Lexie Ronconi earned bronze medal honors. The Gaels were
just four points behind Boone in the team race and only two away from the Bulldogs.
‘‘These girls really showed me something,’’ SEHS head coach Mike Szalat said. ‘‘They haven’t had the greatest week of
practice, but I know the extreme temperatures had something to do with that.
‘‘I didn’t tell them to go out and run as hard as they could, but that is exactly what they did. I just wanted them to have a good
showing for the opener; this wasn’t a good showing — it was a great one.’’
While the team race was exciting until the finish, the individual one turned into an expected rout.
Thompson, who knocked 30 seconds off her meet-winning time in 2006 here, was even better last night. She also broke exDodger and current Iowa State University standout Lisa Koll’s meet record of 15:08 set in 2003.
‘‘Katie has the ability to run like that every time out,’’ FDSH head coach Tim Hanson said. ‘‘She has worked so hard to put
herself in good position for her senior year, and this was an excellent start for her.’’
Algona’s Emily Eimers led the Bulldogs by placing fifth, while teammate Annie Klepper was eighth.
Southeast Webster-Grand’s Sadie Fisher finished in seventh, with Prairie Valley’s Kali Gleason taking ninth overall.
Contact Dana Becker at (515) 573-2141, or by e-mail sports@messengernews.net
Section: Sports
Date Posted: 8/29/2007
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