CAMBRIDGE — It’s been the script for the first two races for Kent County High School’s cross country team: freshman Kato Swanson having the fastest time and his sister Alden having the top place-finish in the girls race.
Last week at the Rumble in the Jungle invitational hosted by Cambridge-South Dorchester High School, Kato Swanson toured the 3-mile course through field and forest in 19 minutes, 25 seconds. That’s significant improvement over the 21:10 he ran the week before in the season opener — and his high school debut — on KCHS’ flat course around the Worton campus.
Meantime, Alden Swanson, a junior, was the Trojans’ first female into the chute, and eighth overall, in 22:24. She lopped 39 seconds off her time from the Sept. 11 opener.
In the Sept. 17 invitational, there were 92 girls and 137 boys from nearly 20 public and private schools on the Shore.
“Both races were completed in the pouring rain, followed by an after-race dance party and awards ceremony,” Kent County coach Patrick McColigan told The Evening Enterprise. “It was a lot of fun and those who had run the course previously were happy to have run it again.”
Senior Camryn Russum of host Cambridge stopped the timer in 20:44 to win the girls race. She was pushed by Salisbury Christian’s Brooke Golba (20:54) and Stephen Decatur’s Amber Marshall (20:59).
Stephen Decatur (35 points) boasted three runners in the top seven and all five of its scorers in the top 13 to run away with the girls title.
North Caroline led by senior Brooke Sullivan (21:25, sixth) was a distant runner-up with 75 points.
Then came Parkside (116), Kent Island (120) and Cambridge (148) to round out the top five.
All-underclassman Kent County placed eighth among the 10 schools that brought full girls teams.
In the boys race, Mardela senior Connor McIntyre was the front-runner in 16:25.
Kent Island junior Gunner Hansard (16:33) was the only other runner to break 17 minutes.
The Buccaneers (53) had two others place in the top 10 and, for the second week in a row, won as a team.
Stephen Decatur (61), Cambridge (71), Easton (79) and North Caroline (159) rounded out the top five schools.
Kent County, a team of two juniors, a sophomore and two freshmen, was 13th.
There were 15 full boys teams.
Printed here are Kent County’s results.
GIRLS: Alden Swanson, 22:24, eighth; Janey Depp, 25:33; McKenzie Smith, 30:25; Jordana Capp, 32:21; and Sydney Bortz, 41:36.
BOYS: Kato Swanson, 19:25, 33rd; Ashton Dean, 21:18; Andrew Buckel, 22:37; Lynden Saunders, 22:56; and Dalton Smith, 27:35.
Depp had the biggest improvement from the week before, more than 3 full minutes.
Also noteworthy: Dalton Smith lowered his time by more than a minute and a half, and Capp and Buckel had improvements of at least a minute.
“I am very proud of the growth of each runner compared from the first meet to the second meet,” McColigan told The Evening Enterprise in an email. “Everyone is driven to succeed and help each other grow. The runners’ commitment in practices is beginning to translate into their actual races.”
This week the Trojans travel to Terrapin Nature Park in Stevensville for a meet hosted by Kent Island High School.