Iowa City

Last year, junior Emmett Swartzentruber was unable to participate in Mid-Prairie’s conference race due to an illness. This time around, a healthy Swartzentruber outraced everyone. 

In a field of 140 runners, Swartzentruber led the Golden Hawk boys team with a first place finish at the River Valley Conference Championship meet at Kickers Soccer Park on Oct. 10.  

Taking the lead early and never looking back, Swartzentruber won the individual RVC championship with a time of 16:31, over 20 seconds faster than Tipton junior Clay Bohlmann’s runner-up finish.   

“Emmett tends to sit back from the lead pack for the first mile or so and then work his way up over the second and third miles,” Mid-Prairie coach Jeremy Meyers said.

“So, when I saw him right off the shoulder of the leader a half mile into the race, I knew he was going to have a special night. It was very impressive to watch him pull away from the rest of the lead pack over the last two miles.”

In addition to his first-place accomplishment that gave him all-conference honors, Swartzentruber was also selected as the River Valley Runner of the Year by conference coaches. 

“Emmett is an incredible athlete and person,” coach Meyers said. “His work ethic and drive to improve are a big reason why he was named conference runner of the year.”

The Mid-Prairie boys team finished in third place in the team standings with a score of 85. Tipton won the conference team championship with a first-place score of 73. 

“We were missing one of our top boys, Jayse Yoder, due to injury,” coach Meyers said. “Even with that adversity the boys team ran really well to finish top three in a very tough conference.”  

Other Golden Hawks to earn all-conference honors were junior Preston Yutzy, placing 4th in 17:14, and freshman Max Swartzentruber, placing 16th in 18:23.

Sophomore Jesse Stultz placing 31st in 19:03, senior Jacob Donaldson placing 33rd in 19:07, senior Daniel Rodgers placing 35th in 19:14, and junior Thomas Flynn placing 42nd in 19:33 round out the runners who contributed to Mid-Prairie’s third place team score. 

“Jesse Stultz and Jacob Donaldson ran their best race of the year and that made a huge impact on the team scores,” coach Meyers said. “It was great to have them step up for their teammates like that.”

Results 

1. Emmett Swartzentruber, Mid-Prairie, 16:31

4. Preston Yutzy, Mid-Prairie, 17:14

16. Maxon Swartzentruber, Mid-Prairie, 18:23

31. Jesse Stultz, Mid-Prairie, 19:03

33. Jacob Donaldson, Mid-Prairie, 19:07

35. Daniel Rodgers, Mid-Prairie, 19:14

43. Thomas Flynn, Mid-Prairie, 19:33

48. Reece Waters, Mid-Prairie, 19:39

50. Luke Brokaw, Mid-Prairie, 19:43

70. Jonathon Pickard, Mid-Prairie, 20:42

89. Ben Lothamer, Mid-Prairie, 21:32

95. Sawyer Hough, Mid-Prairie, 21:49

112. Owen Zirkelback, Mid-Prairie, 23:15

114. Adrian Sanchez, Mid-Prairie, 23:28

131. Evan Reschly, Mid-Prairie, 26:01

133. Brayden Miller, Mid-Prairie, 26:23