Running in Wheatland

Following their performances for the hometown the week before at the Shana Ward Memorial Invitational, the distance runners of Saratoga Cross Country left home to run in the Wheatland Invitational on Friday.

Shianne Baker would not run this weekend, but Kaitlyn Campbell ran in the women’s junior varsity and took 5th place with a time of 25:05, a career best according to Rex Hohnholt, head coach of Saratoga Cross Country. Also seeing a career best was Kelton Johnson, running in the men’s junior varsity and placing 2nd with a time of 20:06.

In men’s varsity, Saratoga accounted for three of the 232 runners, as neither Logan Seahorn or Gavin Bartlett ran this weekend, and all placed in the top 30. Encampment’s Jarom Herring placed 9th, finishing with a time of 18:25. Only three places behind Herring was Joey Gonzales, who finished with a time of 18:43, less than twenty seconds behind Herring, and placed 12th.

“Jarom and Joey had really good races and are far ahead of where they were at this time last year,” said Hohnholt.

Jeremiah Debar placed 28th in the men’s varsity race, finishing with a time of 20:05.

“Jeremiah continues to be steady for us,” Hohnholt said.

The next competition for the Saratoga Panthers will be on Saturday, Oct. 6 at the Cheyenne Invitational. This will be the last regular meet for Saratoga before the State Championship on Oct. 20 in Sheridan.