Bettendorf Girls Cross Country wins meet

Bettendorf Girls Cross Country placed first in the Iowa City West Invitational on Aug. 29 at the Ashton Cross Country Course.

The lineup for the varsity race included Hannah Bientema, Samantha Foht, Madison Temple, Sarah Schmidt, Layken Bytnar, Ella Schmidt, Sarah Defauw, Amanda Scott, Peyton Bytnar, and Madison Foht.

Beintema placed fourth and had a time of 20:54 for the 5K race. S. Foht followed her in sixth place with a time of 21:08.

“I think that the hardest part of my race was the last mile; however, I think it was mostly mental. I was definitely exhausted but I knew I just had to push through it. And it was mostly uphill for the last mile which didn't make it easier,” said Bientema.

This season, Beintema has set goals for herself and the team. Bientema wants to run a personal best of 19:49, to have the team win MAC, and to qualify the team at districts in order to get the whole team to state. Coach Flynn and Coach Adams have been increasing the teams’ mileage so the girls will be ready for future races including MAC, districts, and state.

The junior varsity team placed second and junior, Ashlynn Whitcanack, won the race with a time of 23:05.

“At first I didn’t believe it and I was convinced there was someone way ahead of me I did not know about,” Whitcanack said.

For a cool down after the race, the varsity team ran two and a half miles to the Coral Ridge Mall to celebrate and eat dinner with the rest of the team.

This season there are a total of 54 girls out for cross country and there are 14 new members including Greta Solbrig, a senior, who is out for cross country for the first time this year. Crow Creek will be Solbrig’s second cross country race ever.

“I am very nervous for the Crow Creek meet this weekend, because I have heard that the course is even more challenging than the last course, so I know that it is going to be difficult, but I am glad I know what to expect from a meet now,” Solbrig said.

The girls will be running again Sept. 7 at Crow Creek where they will race against Pleasant Valley for the first time this season.

Varsity girls encouraging each other before their race begins.