Kauffman earns state medal as harriers close season
Mifflin County senior finishes ninth in boys 3A race
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NEWVILLE -- Wyatt Kauffman knew where he needed to be. He’d raced the Big Spring course often enough to know when the field would separate and when the hardest stretch would arrive.
The Mifflin County senior stayed with the leaders for much of the first two miles Saturday, then fought through the climb runners call Kill Hill. He finished ninth in 15:48 at the PIAA Cross Country Championships, earning a Class 3A state medal after failing to qualify for the meet a year ago.
Teammate Hoyt Rodenbaugh finished 26th in 15:58, one place short of a medal. The two seniors, who have trained together since seventh grade, finished 10 seconds apart in their final high school cross country race.
Belleville Christian’s boys placed 16th in Class 1A during the program’s inaugural season, while Juniata’s girls finished 22nd in Class 2A in their first state championship appearance as a team.
Mifflin County
Kauffman believed staying with the leaders through the first two miles would put him in position for a medal.
“I stuck with the lead pack most of the first two miles, which was a part of my plan, and I knew before the race that if I did that, I would medal,” Kauffman said.
Then came the climb.
“Coming up Kill Hill really hurt, but I knew that if I wanted to be in that top ten, I had to keep my foot on the pedal,” he said.
Mifflin County coach Alex Monroe said Kauffman’s performance was satisfying after the senior failed to qualify for states last year.
“Wyatt’s story is that of a comeback,” Monroe said. “He didn’t even make this meet last year.”
Monroe said Kauffman knew the course well and responded when the race opened up.
“He fought harder than I’ve ever seen. I don’t know if anyone was more deserving of a top ten finish today,” Monroe said.
Rodenbaugh came within one position of joining Kauffman among the medalists. He finished 26th, only 10 seconds behind his teammate. Monroe said Rodenbaugh was unlucky in the closing steps rather than having made a mistake.
“Nothing more he could’ve done; nothing he did wrong,” Monroe said. “He is wise beyond his years and has the perspective to know it’s not over.”
Monroe expects Rodenbaugh to respond during track season. He called both seniors class acts and said their stories will be among his favorites to tell.
Beyond the medal, Kauffman valued sharing the state championship experience with Rodenbaugh after years of training together.
“We have trained together since 7th grade, and so to qualify with him was a full-circle moment,” Kauffman said.
Belleville Christian
Belleville Christian completed its first cross country season with a 16th-place finish at the Class 1A state championships.
The Thunder scored 370 points. Collin Hartzler led Belleville Christian with a 77th-place finish in 17:48, followed by Cade Yoder in 144th (18:38) and Ethan Renno in 178th (19:09).
Grant Yoder took 191st (19:20), Elijah Stoltzfus finished 214th (19:54), and Devin Yoder was 234th (20:29).
Coach Scott Falkner said his team finished about where he expected, although he worried the excitement of winning the District 6 championship might affect the runners’ performances.
“This may have been the most nervous I’ve seen them, even though we warned them this was going to be something they have never experienced,” Falkner said.
The crowds presented an adjustment for runners from rural Belleville. Falkner said thousands of spectators swarmed the championship venue.
Despite those nerves, the Thunder responded with strong performances. Falkner said most of his runners posted times that would have been personal bests before districts, even on a more demanding course. He singled out Hartzler and Stoltzfus for their ability to handle the hills.
“It was awesome to see the team improve all the way through the championship season,” Falkner said.
The Thunder reached Newville after winning the District 6 championship with 62 points, defeating Marion Center by 22. Falkner believed a district title was possible before the season began, even though many of his athletes also played soccer.
Falkner credited senior Grant Yoder with recruiting teammates after they examined the previous year’s district results.
“So he recruited a bunch of buddies, and here we are,” Falkner said. “And a bunch of soccer players just running cross-country.”
Falkner said the program’s success meant even more following a season of adversity for Belleville Christian’s athletic community. He said the runners brought encouragement to the close-knit community.
Four seniors will graduate, leaving Falkner with the challenge of recruiting replacements for next season.
“This was a monster way of starting a program,” Falkner said.
Juniata
Juniata’s girls finished 22nd in Class 2A with 504 points, but coach Jeff Miller found encouragement in their improved times and the experience gained at the program’s first state championship appearance.
Carolyn Heidenreich led Juniata in 99th place in 21:05. Hannah Wirt was 126th (21:33), Juliet Heidenreich 207th (23:05) and Hannah Zeiders 229th (23:48).
Charlotte Barner finished 248th (24:57), Ella Zimmerman 258th (25:51) and Marissa Henry 260th (26:25).
Miller said most of the Juniata girls ran faster than they had at a September invitational held on essentially the same Big Spring course.
“It’s not easy to have one more hard effort left in the tank after competing so well at the District 6 Championships, but the girls ended their season on a high note,” Miller said. “I’m so proud of the hard work they put in from back in June.”
Every member of the girls’ team can return next season. Miller hopes competing at states provides motivation throughout the offseason and helps the runners understand what this level of competition requires.
Juniata also sent two juniors to the Class 2A boys’ race. Josiah Barner finished 73rd in 17:20, while David Mayall-Marker placed 181st in 18:16.
Miller said both boys met or exceeded his expectations. Before the races, he’d hoped Barner and Carolyn Heidenreich could finish among the top 100. Both did.
“They both have the ability to return here next year and earn a medal,” Miller said of the boys. “Both are super motivated and willing to put in the work. It’s just a matter of staying healthy with no setbacks.”
Midd-West
Midd-West had two runners compete in the Class 2A boys championship. Grant Boop led the Mustangs with a 29th-place finish in 16:47, while Lyncoln Hoffman placed 78th in 17:21.