John Raffel
Sports Scene
Shepherd sophomore Haley Hegenaur wasn’t planning to be denied when she ran the Division 3 state finals cross country race at Michigan International Speedway on Nov. 5.
Hegenauer placed 16th with a time of 19:33 for all-state honors.
Her teammate, sophomore Amber Gall, placed fifth (18:43).
Shepherd finished in fifth place as a team.
“We did pretty well, we were very strong all season,” Hagenauer said. “My overall P.R. last year was faster. But I felt stronger. I think next year, I’ll see more results.”
In the team race, Gall placed fourth and Hegenaur took 13th. Senior Katelyn Hutchinson placed 40th (20:40.3); Kyle Hutchinson, 41st (20:40.7); and Rachel Mathers, 62nd (21:52.1) while Katie Powell was 144th (22:46.4). Sophomore Angie Yuncker placed 109th (21:52.1).
“It wasn’t a P.R., but I definitely think I was out there pushing as a team,” Gall said. “It’s been an interesting season. We’ve been pushing for each other. It’s been a good season.”
When all the individual finishers are also considered, Katelyn Hutchinson was 66th, Kylie Hutchinson, 67th, Mathers, 100th, Yuncker, 154th and Powell, 192nd.
Hegenauer likes the potential of Shepherd girls cross country.
“I think we have a really good shot to do well next year,” Gall continued. “We have more freshmen coming up and I think they have the potential to do well.”
Shepherd was seventh in the boys Division 3 meet. Bryce Hegenauer finished 31st (17:05.9) in the team race while Owen Howard was 43rd (17:18.19.8) and Tyler Travis 49th (17:24.5)
On taking seventh, “we were a little bit disappointed in that,” boys coach Rick Cahoon. “It was a tough field.”
Cahoon noted he had 13 seniors on his team.
“It was a pretty big year for us,” Cahoon said. “Next year’s team will look a lot different.”
Hegenauer, Howard and Travis were Shepherd’s top three runners, and all are graduating.
“They didn’t have the state finals that they wanted, but it’s been a great group, Cahoon said.
The senior group won 12 straight conference jamborees and four consecutive league titles.
“Winning regionals was special for us,” Cahoon said. “It was home and was fun to run on our home course.”