Local athletes place high in Sanpete Classic

By Matt Harris

Staff writer

10-8-2020

FAIRVIEW—Running on their home turf, Wasatch Academy’s Christopher Korir and Manti’s Keltsy Fowles put themselves at the front of the pack and made Sanpete proud.

Skyline Golf Course in Fairview played host to well over 500 cross-country runners from 31 schools as the 2020 Sanpete Classic took place Wednesday of last week.

Korir, a senior, and Fowles, a sophomore, both placed individually in their respective 3-mile runs; Korir took second place in the varsity boys’ race, while Fowles placed third in varsity girls.

Korir was Wasatch Academy’s only representation at the Classic, while Fowles was one of the 39 Manti runners across the varsity and JV races. North Sanpete also sent forth a delegation of 18 runners.

Each race of the Classic was a 3-mile course. In the varsity boys’ race, Korir’s silver medal run was timed at 16:18.4, just three seconds ahead of third place. Junior Josiah Carter was the top finisher for Manti, coming in at ninth with a time of 17:12.3. North Sanpete senior Gage Cox led the Hawks at 21st place with a time of 18:00.4. Among 17 teams in the race, Manti placed fourth overall in points, while North Sanpete finished 11th.

In the varsity girls’ race, Fowles’ bronze medal run came in at a time of 20:40.6 to lead Manti. North Sanpete freshman Mari Briggs led the Lady Hawks with an eighth-place time of 21:07.7, just a half-second ahead of her senior teammate, Tamsin Stewart, at 21:98.2.It was North Sanpete who had the upper hand in this race, as they took third place overall while Manti took seventh place.

In the JV ranks, a small contingent of Manti runners raced in the junior/senior JV race, not enough for a team score, as senior Ben Johnson led that party, taking 32nd place with a time of 21:38.7.

In the freshman/sophomore boys’ race, freshman Tyler led a group of 11 Manti runners, finishing 19th with a time of 20:20.9. The Templars placed sixth overall on that course.

Finally, in the JV girls’ race, junior Bethany Christensen led all Manti runners with a time of 24:49.7, good for 17th place overall. Manti finished fourth as a team. North Sanpete didn’t get scored as a team in the race, but freshman Brooklyn Larsen finished in 29th place to lead the Lady Hawks.

North Sanpete and Manti will next be running in the Region 14 championships on Oct 13, in Orem.