It was cooler than usual and clouds blocked the sun from the Washington County Fairgrounds.
“I think it was perfect,” said Arlington cross-country runner Whitney Wollberg.
The Eagles hosted their home meet Thursday, claiming both the team and individual titles in what they described as ideal running conditions for early September.
“I think this is the best conditions we've ever had at the home meet,” girls champion Hailey O'Daniel said. “It felt really good to run in nice conditions.”
Nolan May, the first-place boy after 5 kilometers, thought of only one way it could have been better.
“I was hoping we'd get a little precipitation going, but I didn't luck out that much,” he said.
It barely sprinkled during the Arlington Invite as coach Michaela Curran's boys squad won the team title by 21 points. Omaha Concordia was second, while Logan View took third and a Fort Calhoun junior varsity lineup earned fourth ahead of six other schools.
May was out front, finishing ahead of Concordia sophomore Payton Day, who pushed the senior for the second-straight race to start the season.
“That's a good thing for sure,” May said, welcoming the competition.
The AHS race-winner clocked in at 17:08.3, which was a little more than 2 seconds better than Day.
“That last (race) hurt quite a bit more than the first one, but the time showed, so it makes more sense,” May said.
John Morrison finished next for the Eagles, taking fourth at home. His teammates — Kolby Tighe, Dallin Franzluebbers and Kevin Flesner — followed suit in fifth, sixth and seventh, too.
“This summer I worked really, really, really hard,” Morrison said. “So, to see it now paying off in these meets is surreal. Last year, I didn't think I could be in this spot.”
His strategy Thursday involved keeping up with May at the start.
“That puts me in the position I need to be to finish top-10, top-five,” Morrison explained.
AHS' Brayden Fuchs added a 19th-place result for the home squad, while Fort Calhoun freshman Brayden Bessey was 16th and Pioneer Johnathon Schwarte was 18th.
In the girls' race, O'Daniel won comfortably for the second-straight as the first-place Eagles finished a single point ahead of Concordia. She finished the fairgrounds course in 20:39.72.
“I was sharp,” the junior said. “I started off a little bit too fast, but I was able to finish through strong.”
Wollberg was next in sixth with a time of 23:32.79, while Kelise Krivohlavek was seventh in 23:44.42.
“I was just like, 'Push for the team,'” Wollberg said. “We know that gives us a better chance at a team award.”
Freshman Sofie Lewis added a 15th-place finish for Arlington, while senior Brynn Eckhart was 20th.
“We all ran really good races,” Wollberg said, the end result supporting her claim.
FCHS, meanwhile, held out all of its female runners for the next day's meet.
Pioneers compete in Platte River Rumble
The Pioneer boys earned third and the girls ninth Friday during the Platte River Rumble's small school varsity races at Mahoney State Park.
Will Dennis led the Calhoun boys, claiming seventh in 17:16.04, while Lawson Tjardes was 10th in 17:21.95. Seth Waters added a 15th-place effort and Chris Post-Whiteowl was 18th.
Matthew Kelly (29th), Gage Nixon (32nd), Travis Skelton (44th) and Jay Stoa III (53rd) ran during the event for coach Kyle McMahon, too.
On the girls' side, Raeann Massey produced FCHS' top individual result. She was sixth in 20:45.07, while Bella McLaughlin took 20th in 21:55.23. Emily Barta (55th), Harley Schwarte (88th), Brady Work (104th) and Rowan Roehr (105th) filled out the rest of the Pioneers' race lineup.
Both the Pioneers and Arlington Eagles next compete Thursday during Blair's invite. Varsity competition begins at 5 p.m.
HIGH SCHOOL XC RESULTS
ARLINGTON INVITE
Thursday at Washington County Fairgrounds
BOYS
Team standings: Arlington 16, Omaha Concordia 37, Logan View 68, Fort Calhoun 84, Lyons-Decatur Northeast 91, West Point-Beemer 102, David City 126, West Point GACC 151, Conestoga 162, College View Academy 176.
5K race winner: Nolan May, Arlington, 17:08.3.
Arlington results: 1, May, 17:08.3. 4, John Morrison, 18:12.01. 5, Kolby Tighe, 18:14.95. 6, Dallin Franzluebbers, 18:20.74. 7, Kevin Flesner, 18:31.92. 19, Brayden Fuchs, 19:54.31. Top JV finisher: 1, Trey Hill, 18:57.19.
Fort Calhoun results: 16, Brayden Bessey, 19:34.53. 18, Johnathon Schwarte, 19:43.82. 24, Merritt Olberding, 20:22.85. 26, Edward Lautrup, 20:29.97. 31, Hawthorne Roehr, 21:09.13. 34, Landyn Urwiller, 21:23.37. Top JV finisher: 6, Landon Bernasek, 20:45.22.
GIRLS
Team standings: Arlington 25, Concordia 26, West Point-Beemer 48, Logan View 61, David City 82, Lyons Decatur Northeast 101.
5K race winner: Hailey O'Daniel, Arlington, 20:39.72.
Arlington results: 1, O'Daniel, 20:39.72. 6, Whitney Wollberg, 23:32.79. 7, Kelise Krivohlavek, 23:44.42. 15, Sofie Lewis, 24:38.26. 20, Brynn Eckhart, 25:48.47.
PLATTE RIVER RUMBLE
Friday at Mahoney State Park
BOYS
Team standings (small school varsity): Elkhorn Mount Michael 29, Plattsmouth 30, Fort Calhoun 50, Syracuse 60, Holdrege 78, Douglas County West 142, Columbus Scotus 144, Lincoln Lutheran 145, Crete 175, Columbus Lakeview 193, Ashland-Greenwood 196, Waverly 237, Ralston 245, Yutan 255, Nebraska City 290.
5K race winner: Elijah Dix, Plattsmouth, 16:27.45.
Fort Calhoun results: 7, Will Dennis, 17:16.04. 10, Lawson Tjardes, 17:21.95. 15, Seth Waters, 17:37.26. 18, Chris Post-Whiteowl, 17:40.28. 29, Matthew Kelly, 18:18.89. 32, Gage Nixon, 18:22.51. 44, Travis Skelton, 18:47.58. 53, Jay Stoa III, 19:09.71.
GIRLS
Team standings (small school varsity): Scotus 37, Omaha Duchesne 51, Lincoln Christian 55, DC West 67, Plattsmouth 70, Waverly 116, Gretna East 116, Lincoln Northwest 128, Fort Calhoun 137, Lakeview 174, Ashland 190, Holdrege 216, Ralston 222, Crete 247.
5K race winner: Mallory Robbins, Plattsmouth, 19:44.61.
Fort Calhoun results: 6, Raeann Massey, 20:45.07. 20, Bella McLaughlin, 21:55.23. 55, Emily Barta, 23:59.13. 88, Harley Schwarte, 26:17.04. 104, Brady Work, 29:39.93. 105, Rowan Roehr, 30:11.73.
