Focus, Strength and determination is what the Mount Vernon – Lisbon boys Varsity Cross Country team needed to win the Solon Invitational on Monday Sept. 23. The team got a 43 with Tipton right behind them with a 67.
Grady Olberding, a senior from Mount Vernon, placed 1st in the meet. Scheil says “Grady is a good leader and a great teammate,” Scheil said. “Grady pushes us and that helps make us a successful team.”
Scheil and Olberding have had a successful Cross Country season and don’t plan on stopping. Scheil can see the team placing 3rd at state by the end of the year. The team is averaging a record of 16:30.
“While I’m racing I try to keep up with Grady,” Scheil said, “and depending on how I feel I’ll either speed up or keep it the same, overall I just focus on getting ahead of the person in front of me.”
Scheil’s best run was a 15:54 placing 17th at Iowa State which was the first meet of the season. Scheil ran a 16:36 in the 5k race only 33 seconds behind Olberding who ran a 16:03. Olberding ran a 15:10 at the Iowa State meet placing 4th with the overall Mount Vernon-Lisbon team placing 10th. They are currently #3 in 3A Boys Cross Country.
Dawson Scheil, a junior from Mount Vernon, placed second. He describes the meet as a confidence booster and a good race. The cross country team practices from Monday to Friday for 2 hours. Scheil describes their practice as “some days are easy and some days are hard.”
Varsity girls take 2nd at the Solon meet on Sept. 23.
