Cross country teams run well in first meet

By Adam Kolb / Co-Sports Editor

The Hutchinson Community College cross country teams competed in its first event of the 2020 season at the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic on Friday night.

One of those runners competing was freshman Louise Cocking, who had an impressive debut. She posted the second highest finish and second best time by a Blue Dragon women’s cross country runner in the history of the Terry Masterson Twilight Classic. Cocking helped her team to a third-place finish, and finished fourth overall to lead Hutchinson.

“It was exciting to start racing again,” Cocking said. The Derbyshire, Englad,  native also posted the 15th overall fastest time in Masterson Twilight history, a three-time race.

Hutchinson had two runners finish in the top 10 and four in the top 20. Sophomore Sheila Too ended with a seventh-place finish, beating her freshman time by almost 57 seconds. She was also one of eight racers to break the 20-minute mark, finishing in 19:55.8.

Megan Miller also beat her freshman time by 1 minute, 26 seconds with a 17th-place finish in 20:17.2. Another Blue Dragon in the top 20 was Izzy Wheeler, who ended the day in 17th-place with a time of  20:43.1 in her Blue Dragon debut.

With all of the success that the Blue Dragon cross country team had on Friday, it was no surprise that the absence of fans didn’t have any affect on them.

“We didn’t really notice the fans not being there,” said sophomore Teagan Flanagan.

The Blue Dragons will compete in their next event on Sept. 19 at the Muhama- Rogers Invitational at Bethel College in North Newton.

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