EJHS Boys Finish Seventh As a Team, Klingler 15th

Effingham Junior High School finished seventh as a team at the Class 3A Boys State Cross Country Meet. Members of the team are, front row, left to right, Kaden Rohr, Jared Klingler, Maddux Wyckoff and Will Percival. Back row, left to right, Coach Shayna Scott, Joel Flack, Tristen Smith, Mason Overbeck and Coach Nancy Ervin.

NORMAL -- The Effingham Junior High School boys cross country team finished seventh as a team at the Illinois Elementary School  Association Class 3A State Cross Country Meet Saturday out of 24 teams.

Seventh-grader Jared Klingler led the way with a 15th overall finish out of 222 runners. Klingler came across with a time of 11:05.38. He was the fourth seventh-grader to cross the finish line and the first ever boys medalist at State for Effingham Junior High School.

Eighth-grader Mason Overbeck finished 33rd with a new personal record time of 11:28.48. Eighth-grader Kaden Rohr was 64th with a time of 11:48.28 which is also a new personal record. Tristen Smith, an eighth-grader, was 75th in 11:53.16 followed by eighth-graders Joel Flack 105th in 12:09.48, William Percival 134th in 12:25.05 and Maddux Wyckoff 152nd in 12:38.74 which was a personal record.

"Congratulaions to all the boys," said EJHS Coach Nancy Ervin. "You worked so hard this off-season to get where you were today. We are so proud of you. Thanks to all our fans who came out to support us this year and today."

Jared Klingler finished 15th out of 222 runners for EJHS.

Also competing at the Class 3A meet were two girls from Jasper County. The pair finished back-to-back as Brooke Gentry was 93rd in 13:31.26 and Heather Bergbower was 94th in 13:31.26.

Effingham  St. Anthony captured seventh place in the Class 1A Girls State Track Meet while the boys team finished 10th.

The Bullpups tallied 240 points. Scoring were Nora Niebrugge 20th in 12:38.81, Bella Schultz 41st in 13:11.50, Hannah Frisbie 51st in 13:18.32, Maeve Niebrugge 103rd in 14:00.23, Morgan Kabbes 121st in 14:09.54, Amelia Janis 144th in 14:36.99 and Rosie Warner 155th in 14:46.87.

Sigel St. Michael finished 20th as a team with 454 points.

Competing for the Sharpshooters were Violet Walk 39th in 13:08.70, Tinley Niebrugge 120th in 14:09.33, Brianna Niebrugge 136th in 14:26.25, Reece Niebrugge 167th in 14:56.25, Ruby Walk 186th in 15:18.85, Molli Dasenbrock 195th in 15:30.08 and Alicia Rivas 200th in 15:40.65.

Altamont Lutheran's Reagan Winter fnished 160th in 14:49.54.

In the Class 1A boys meet, St. Anthony was 10th with Max Schuette taking 38th place in 11:44.84 and Charlie Bierman finishing 40th in 11:47.11. Also competing were Blake Verdeyen 87th in 12:11.72, Braxton Schultz 110th in 12:25.92, James Uebinger 154th  in 12:50.87, Will Ludwig 177th in 13:01.28 and Grayson Bloemer 209th in 13:36.81.

Sigel St. Michael  finished 13th with 336 points. Cole Dasenbrock took 57th in 11:54.52 followed by Walden Andrews 83rd in 12:09.28, Clayton Altgilbers 88th in 12:12.00, Elijah Whittier 115th in 12:28.48, Noah Platz 170th in 12:56.57, Jackson Krampe 180th in 13:01.57 and Trenton Ballinger188th in 13:11.63.

Altamont Lutheran had two runners taking part in the meet, John Manley finished 136th in 12:39.75 while Kelton Dunaway was 145th in 12:44.98.

In Class 2A individuals from the area were competing.

For the boys, Cumberland's Colby Roedl finished 18th in 11:24.17 out of 224 runners.

Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City had two runners compting, Eli Maxedon finished 47th in 11:56.89 while Kaisyn Calame took 165th in 13:20.12.

Riley Shellenberger finished 81st for Dieterich in 12:17.53.

Teutopolis had two runners, Archer Kitten who was 140th in 12:57.55 and Joseph Habing who was 143rd in 13:01.27.

In the girls 2A meet, the Wooden Shoes had three competing. Isabella Niebrugge took 105th in 13:46.57, Kenzi Dust was 107th in 13:47.61 and Lily Tegeler was 170th in 14:36.45.

Cumberland's Elizabeth Sudkamp finished 183rd in 14:50.94.