Rebekah Topham wins individually, Tigers win as a team to qualify again for State Meet in Fort Dodge
By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Oct. 29, 2013
TREYNOR – This time of year, the Griswold girls’ cross-country team just makes it look easy.
The Tigers finished first collectively at last Thursday’s Class 1A State Qualifying Meet in Treynor, tallying 81 points to finish well ahead of second place St. Albert (121) and third place Exira-EHK (143).
A total of 134 runners and 17 full squads schools competed at Treynor, one of five different Class 1A State Qualifying Meets last week that whittled down next Saturday’s field for the State Meet in Fort Dodge.
Griswold is the defending Class 1A Champion, and appears to be on the short list again this year of who is who.
Rebekah Topham easily finished first individually Thursday as the junior from Griswold clocked in at 14:56.3, well over a minute faster than the rest of next pack.
Fellow junior Alyx Flippin finished No. 13 overall with a time of 17:11.1 and Leah Lappe finished No. 15 at 17:16.4 as three Tigers finished in the top 15 in the large field.
Topham was held out of the Western Iowa Conference Meet one week previously (Oct. 17), and the Missouri Valley Invite two days later. Coach Griswold XC coach Jane Chaillie says keeping Topham fresh is more important than another WIC title for her at this point as the two-time state 1A champ works her way past a nagging foot injury.
On Thursday, she was back in top form, gliding along the course at Treynor to rack up another individual victory.
“She makes running look so easy,” coach Chaillie says. “No matter how she feels physically, it’s just phenomenal how she runs, and today was another one of those days.”
Aside from Flippin and Lappe, the entire roster of Tiger runners finished strong and inside the top third of the field.
Alyssa Wyman finished No. 30 overall (17:53.2), followed by Bridget Maurer (No. 34 – 18:18), Joanna Topham (No. 38 – 18:26.8), Kayla Kirchhoff (No. 45 – 18:37.6).
“We felt coming in that we would have to position our top seven ahead of everyone else’s top five (runners),” coach Chaillie says. “That continued to happen.”
The depth the squad has no doubt drives it forward as internal competition remains an important component for the Griswold. Apparently, so does the legacy the Tigers have built as they’ve established themselves as a running dynasty that rules Southwest Iowa.
More than a couple of runners from year’s past were on hand Thursday, cheering on the blue.
“One of the best things about today was all the messages the girls were getting from runners who have graduated and been through this program before,” coach Chaillie says. “Having many (alumni) our here lining the course, I think that really motivates them. That tradition that has started, they don’t want that to end with them.”
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