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BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Boys cross-country runners were not as successful as their girl counterparts this year in terms of team accomplishments.
No area boys team made it to semistate, and only Rochester made it to regional.
We did not have an area boys break 17 minutes, and no area boy made it to state.
Still, we had a bevy of strong runners this year, and most of them will not graduate.
All-RTC boys cross-country
Peyton Hiatt (Rochester) (Runner of the Year) – You could pretty much set your watch to Peyton Hiatt, as he was between 17:00 and 17:15 almost all season. No area runner was as consistently good.
Matthew Howes (Tippecanoe Valley) – Howes graduates as one of Valley’s most decorated runners ever after making semistate for the third straight year.
Micah Colvin (Caston) – Colvin was off to a great start – he won the Cass County Invite in August, among other accomplishments – before a knee injury ended his season. He still ran a 17:51 in the Hoosier North meet despite the injury.
Kolbey Wegner (Winamac) – Wegner won the Hoosier North title in 17:03, and he later ran a 17:56 at regional to make semistate. Younger sister Kelsey made the all-RTC girls team.
Dylan Steininger (Rochester) – Steininger gained strength and was able to break the 18-minute barrier and eventually qualify for semistate. Assuming he has another productive offseason, we’re interested to see how much faster he gets.
Austin Dague (Caston) – Dague ran an eye-opening 17:06 and was Caston’s No. 1 runner at the Hoosier North meet on a day the team won the conference title. Missed qualifying for semistate by three seconds, which should motivate him for next year.
Chris Rohr (Rochester) – Rohr was usually stride for stride with Steininger. He gained speed as the season progressed and was able to run a more consistent pace.
Edison Byrum (Caston) – Byrum is a freshman, but he never looked like one. He ran an 18:22 at regionals, and my guess is that is the last time you will see him in the 18s for awhile.
Jackson Baker (Pioneer) – Baker came up clutch at the Hoosier North meet, running an 18:00 and taking fifth.
Cristian Cardenas (Winamac) – Cardenas got faster as the season progressed, running an 18:55 at conference, an 18:50 at sectional and an 18:40 at regional.
All-RTC boys cross-country honorable mention
Wes Steininger (Rochester)
Carson Meyer (Pioneer)
Jack McIntire (Argos)
Thomas Ehler (Pioneer)
Zak Heiman (Argos)
Chase Miller (Tippecanoe Valley)
Evan Myers (Tippecanoe Valley)
Caleb Stinson (Caston)
Jace Holloway (Tippecanoe Valley)
Brady Rodgers (Tippecanoe Valley)
