By: Luke DeRoos - CCS Journalism
Freshman athlete Avery Arens made history at Crofton’s annual home meet, where she broke the girls cross country state record in front of her home crowd.
The event started off with the varsity girls, with three of the top four athletes being from Crofton. Arens placed first, with a time of 17:04.62, breaking the girls state record. Sisters sophomore Cecilia and senior Sophia Wortmann placed 3rd and 4th, with times of 20:34.69 and 20:51.04 respectively.
Also in the top 15 were Sophomore Hudsyn Stout, placing 9th with a time of 22:04.08, and Claire Marsh, placing 13th with a time of 22:34.68. Finishing off for Crofton’s varsity team was Madelyn Buschkamp, with a time of 23:55.21. Their performances led them to get a dominant first place as a team, averaging 2 minutes faster than second place.
The boys race followed shortly after. Sophomore Kaden Arens earned a top 10 finish, placing 7th with a time of 17:45.10. Senior Charles Steffen took 12th, with a time of 18:33.60. Also running varsity for Crofton were Darin Babcock, placing 25th with a time of 19:57.90 and Corbin Bernt, placing 37th with a time of 21:20.10. The boys team ultimately took 4th place for their performances.
The meet was hosted at the Weigand Recreational Area this year, with the Crofton Golf Course clubhouse being under renovation. In attendance were Crofton’s football team and many other local fans supporting the cross country athletes. Sophomore Fred Dennis said, ”I was very motivated when the football team showed up to cheer us on. I think it shows the true Warrior spirit when our athletes support each other.”
The Warriors coach Mickey Doerr named Avery Arens and Charles Steffen as Athletes of the Meet. Arens earned the award after breaking the state record and her dominant first-place finish, while Steffen’s leadership and new season best secured him the boy’s award. Steffen stated, ”I know I can still do better, but a season best is a step in the right direction.”