By Dan Truttschel
Sports correspondent
In a season full of challenging invitationals, there are rare occasions for the Big Foot-Williams Bay girls and boys cross country teams to step out of the box a bit.
The Chiefs had that chance Tuesday, as they took another step in their progression.
Big Foot traveled to the Rock Valley Classic at Edgerton, a meet that featured races between runners in their individual grades, rather than the standard set up. No team scores are kept.
“It is a unique event, in that you compete against your own class,” Big Foot coach Tim Collins said. “It was a fun meet.”
On the girls’ side, senior Zanzie Demco finished second in the 12th-grade race with a time of 21:11.4 for Big Foot’s top individual effort.
Collins said Demco continues to work toward the bigger meets on the horizon.
“Our plan for Zanzie is to peak at sectionals,” he said. “Her workouts are designed not to win races, but to be in top shape at the end of October.”
In the 10th-grade race, sophomore Samantha Eichmann was fifth (23:15.5), followed by Maya Torrez, 17th (26:57.7); Viola Larson, 23rd (28:49.4); and Isabel Chisamore, 26th (29:51.4).
Freshman Tess Gillingham led the Chiefs in the ninth-grade race with a 25th-place finish (27:27.2), followed by Natalie Flores, 31st (30:49.2) and Anahis Figueroa, 38th (33:28.5).
“(The) younger kids are starting to ‘get it,’” Collins said. “We are competing now instead of just running. There is a subtle difference.”
On the boys’ side, senior Evan Rees was 12th in the 12th-grade race (19:55) to lead Big Foot.
Collins said he’s pleased with what he’s seen from Rees to this point.
“He has definitely fit into the leadership role this year and has greatly helped with the transition of the co-op with Williams Bay,” Collins said.
The Chiefs’ other senior, Titus Frederick, also a Williams Bay student, was 30th in 24:15.6.
In the 10th-grade race, sophomore Jacob Curtis led the way in 14th (21:54), followed by Daniel Rees, 16th (22:37.5); Will Volmar, 32nd
(24:59.6), and; Malachi Frederick, 37th (29:25).
Curtis continues to make big strides, Collins said.
“I have been very impressed with (his) development,” Collins said. “He is improving his times to by three to four minutes compared to last year in every race.”
Leading the way in the ninth-grade race was freshman Dawson Grever, 21st (23:13.2), followed by Austin Buchholz, 34th (24:54.2); and Jonathan Ocampo, 42nd (30:12).
Big Foot is back in action Tuesday afternoon when it hosts its own invitational, beginning at 4 p.m.
Chiefs 11th at Ladish
Both Big Foot squads finished 11th at last week’s Ladish Invitational at East Troy.
Demco led the girls in 17th (21:31.3), followed by Gillingham, 68th (26:01); Torrez, 70th (26:18.2); Larson, 74th (27:30.9); Chisamore, 75th (28:32); Figueroa, 76th (31:47.2), and; sophomore Jarely Castanedo, 77th (40:28.7).
Big Foot finished with 304 points. Milwaukee King was first with 80, followed by Indian Trail with 87, East Troy with 91, Jefferson with 93 and Fort Atkinson with 103.
Evan Rees was 63rd (20:56.4) to lead the Big Foot boys, followed by Daniel Rees, 68th (21:57.3); Curtis, 71st (22:06.1); Grever, 72nd
(23:11.8); Titus Frederick, 74th (24:12.5); Buchholz, 76th (24:24.3), and; Malachi Frederick, 80th (27:20.4).
Big Foot finished with 348 points. Indian Trail was first with 55 points, followed by Milwaukee King with 86, East Troy with 94, Jefferson with 111 and Fort Atkinson with 144.
“This was a meet we ‘worked through,’” Collins said. “We needed some tough practices prior to the meet. We weren’t concerned with our places.”
