The Fairfield Trojans cross country teams delivered impressive performances at the Timm Lamb Cross Country Invitational in Fort Madison on Wednesday, September 18th, with both squads showing significant improvement from the previous season.
Girls Place Fifth with Strong Team Effort
The Fairfield varsity girls finished fifth out of five teams with a team score of 119 points in a competitive field that included state-ranked Fort Madison, who won with just 27 points.
Naomi Stiemsma led the Trojans with a 16th-place individual finish, followed by a tight pack of teammates. Kensley Fligg crossed the line in 22nd place, with Caroline Van Pelt finishing 26th. Bailey Belzer and Anna McAvan completed the scoring for Fairfield, placing 27th and 28th respectively.
The girls team results showed the depth of competition, with Washington taking second place (55 points), Muscatine third (64 points), and Keokuk fourth (83 points) ahead of the Trojans.
Boys Finish Seventh in Larger Field
The Fairfield boys team placed seventh with 164 points in a larger field of seven teams. Fort Madison dominated the boys race as well, winning with 38 points, followed by Washington and Muscatine who tied for second with 62 points each.
John Miller paced the Trojans with a 23rd-place finish, with Clae Cass close behind in 27th place. Elijah Hamilton (37th), Aaron Wellnitz (38th), and Jordan Miller (39th) rounded out the scoring five for Fairfield.
Drew Myers and Sam Nelson also represented the Trojans well, finishing 42nd and 43rd respectively.
Burlington finished fourth with 117 points, followed by Keokuk (132 points) and Mount Pleasant (148 points) before Fairfield’s seventh-place showing.
Dramatic Season-to-Season Improvement
The most impressive aspect of the meet may have been the Trojans’ improvement. Coach Belzer was enthusiastic about his team’s progress following the meet, noting that the average time difference from 2024 was a 2:15 boost. He also mentions how out of our 16 high school runners, eight ran personal bests and four others ran season bests. The meet reflected significant progress for the program, with clear signs that the runners are continuing to improve and build momentum.
Looking Forward
The meet at Fort Madison provided an excellent test against quality competition, including state-ranked Fort Madison, giving the Trojans valuable experience as they continue their campaign. The next one will be on Tuesday, September 23rd, at Mount Pleasant.
