Kryder, Hodgson Lead Wawasee Elementary Mile
SYRACUSE – Zack Kryder and Mia Hodgson were the winners of Monday’s annual Wawasee Elementary Mile.
Kryder was able to pull away from the pack of 61 runners from North Webster, Syracuse and Milford elementary schools to win the race at 6:25 to give North Webster the top time of the day. Kryder’s schoolmate, Luke Stuckman, separated himself from a handful of frontrunners to come home second at 6:38 for runner-up honors and give Webster a one-two finish.
Nolan Holzwart of Syracuse was third at 6:45, followed by the Milford duo of Mason Worrell at 6:49 and Grady Berkeypile at 6:50.
The top two finishes for Webster pushed the school to the win in the team bragging rights column, but just barely. Webster used an eighth place finish from Aaron Gause as well as Adam delaFuente in 12th and Josiah Jones in 15th to post 38 team points. Milford had Worrell and Berkeypile, plus Abraham Hernandez in seventh, Jaxon Brown in 10th and Wyatt Bucher in 13th to pile up 39 points. Syracuse had Drew Yoder in sixth, Bo Brunner in ninth, Jack Shoemaker in 11th and Max Taylor in 16th for 45 points.
Hodgson was also a winner going away, posting a time of 6:55 to win by 22 seconds over Reese Beasley. Both girls represented Syracuse Elementary. With the addition of Addison Delagrange’s fourth place finish, Syracuse was well on its way to a team title. Except…
North Webster brought in Kenadee Alexander in fifth, then the seven through 10 runners in Emma Pulley, Alyssa Kunish, Gabby Faroute and Maddie Becola. Those places added up to 39. Syracuse wouldn’t bring in another runner until Evelyn Tinkey in 15th place and then Finley Brady in 17th, which became Syracuse’s fourth and fifth team scores. The 39 for Syracuse proposed a tie, but North Webster broke the tie with the higher of the fifth-man scores with a 10 over a 17.
Milford was third with 45 points, with Abigail Speicher in third, Taylor Veach in sixth, Dayanara Trujillo in 11th, Lauren McDaniel in 12th and Kaitlyn McCreary in 13th.