PHS teams repeat as EWC champions
PLYMOUTH – It was all Plymouth at Saturday’s Eastern Wisconsin Conference Cross Country Championships.
The Panthers successfully defended their boys and girls EWC crowns, keyed by impressive depth. PHS placed its first five runners in the top 14 overall in the boys meet. In the girls competition, the first five Panthers finished among the top 17 overall.
Leading the way for the PHS girls was sophomore Niki Rhyan who took first in 15 minutes, 14.12 seconds on the 2.5-mile course. Her fellow sophomore teammate Haley Johnson took third.
Senior Greg Poser paced the PHS boys with a runner-up finish in 17:12.96 over 3.1 miles. Panther sophomore Parker Kastelic took third. Kiel senior Matt Scott earned first in 16:59.30.
PHS tallied 33 points in the boys meet and 47 for the girls.
“Our cross country teams had a fantastic day. We knew we would be in the running for the championships and we expected Kiel to be our toughest competition for both teams,” said PHS head coach Jay Grosshuesch.
“Our kids really responded to the challenge and they went after the Kiel runners in the latter parts of each race to key our wins.
We had quality races from all seven runners. Coach [Glen] Smith, coach [Ken] Dunbar and I are really proud of the way our runners stayed focused during a busy and distracting Homecoming Week to still be able to run quality races on Saturday,” Grosshuesch said.
Earning All-EWC first-team honors for PHS were Poser, Kastelic, Luke Schmidt, Rhyan and Johnson. Plymouth’s second-team runners are Greg Rhude, Devin Gumm and Jo Jo Prahl. The top-seven finishers in each meet receive first-team recognition and the next seven are on the second unit.
FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
Boys
Plymouth…………………..………………….33
Kiel……….…………………………..……..…..…44
Waupun…………..…………………….…………76
Two Rivers………………………….……..……..79
Campbellsport……….…….………………...143
Sheboygan Falls………………………..…...149
New Holstein………….……………...….……Inc.
Kewaskum………….……………….….………Inc.
Girls
Plymouth…………………..………………….47
Kiel………….………………………..………….…64
Two Rivers………………..………….……..…..78
Campbellsport…………….………………….111
Waupun…………..……………………….……120
Sheboygan Falls……………………….…….162
Kewaskum……………………..……..…....…162
New Holstein…….…………………...………181
PLYMOUTH PLACE-WINNERS
Varsity Boys
2. Greg Poser, 17:12.96; 3. Parker Kastelic, 17:22.51; 6. Luke Schmidt, 17:43.55; 8. Greg Rhude, 17:57.03; 14. Devin
Gumm, 18:24.55.
Varsity Girls
1. Niki Rhyan, 15:14.12; 3. Haley Johnson, 16:22.75; 10. Jo Jo Prahl, 17:12.03; 16. Hannah Klecka, 17:23.03; 17.
Christina Schicker, 17:32.11.
