HUMBOLDT - Estevan Comprehensive School Elecs cross-country coach Kelly Phillipchuk came away praising the efforts of the school’s athletes following the recent cross-country provincials, hosted by the Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association.
“We had four athletes in it. All four had personal bests,” said Phillipchuk.
Ismail Kamel had the strongest result of the four ECS athletes who competed. He was 24th in the senior boys division with a time of 20 minutes and six seconds.
“He’s new to cross-country. He ran his first race at districts and his second at provincials,” said Phillipchuk.
It was also the top result for a student from a school in the southeast district.
Two ECS students competed in junior girls. Kristen Carlson was in junior girls with a time of 24:46, and Kylie Phillipchuk had a time of 26:46.
Taya Hoste was in intermediate girls, and had a time of 15:58.
Phillipchuk said it was a fast and really tough course. The intermediates ran three kilometres, the juniors competed on a four-kilometre circuit and the seniors had a five-kilometre distance.
He noted this course was much more challenging than the one the athletes faced at the last provincial meet in Prince Albert two years ago.
“That was a flat course. It was in a park,” said Phillipchuk. “This was in a field, with hills, mud in a couple of places, a great view of little water areas. A lot of hills. A lot of rock. A totally different course than what they’ve run before.”
The site for provincials was a cross-country ski course about 15 kilometres outside of Humboldt. After parking their vehicles, they had to walk about a kilometre to the track.
Phillipchuk was impressed with the times due to the challenging terrain.
Numerous other athletes from the southeast competed at provincials. Among those in senior girls were Mackenzie Miller of Oxbow Prairie Horizons School, who recorded a time of 20:32; Lindsey Johnson of Lampman School, 20:49; Gabrielle Brisebois of École de Bellegarde, 23:07; Corey Purves, Carnduff Education Complex, 23:19; Yveian Orpiano, Stoughton School, 23:29; Jenna Bates, Arcola School, 23:34; and Adrie Frazer, Oxbow Prairie Horizons School, 24:03.
In senior boys, competitors included Mitch Himmelspach of Gordon F. Kells High School in Carlyle, who had a time of 20:51; Carter Goudy, Stoughton School, 21:17; Dylan Frey, Oxbow Prairie Horizon School, 22:19; Dustin Chassie, Arcola School, 22:33; Jed Centeno, Stoughton School, 23:12; and Tomas Lonethunder, White Bear Education Complex, 26:35.
In junior girls, Shalyn Urschel of École de Bellegarde had a time of 24:43.
In junior boys, among the entrants were Tye Farnsworth of Lampman School, who finished with a time of 19:21; Cédric Akpalé, École de Bellegarde, 19:53; Levi Donahue, Arcola School, 20:35; and Ethan Lees, Arcola School, 20:45.
In intermediate girls, a couple of students from the Oxbow Prairie Horizons School were entered: Alivia Schulhauser had a time of 14:28 and Mary Lee McNeil finished in 15:38.
In intermediate boys, four students from Oxbow Prairie Horizons School entered: Dorian Sifton, who finished with a time of 11:58; Aldwin Casi, 11:59; Jace Carritt, 12:26; and Lincoln Spencer, 12:41. Also entered were Dathan Beaudet of Manor, who finished in 13:12; and Benjamin Brisebois, École de Bellegarde, 13:26.
