G-E-T boys fifth at Nightfall Classic

In one of the more unique cross country events of each fall, the G-E-T boys carved out a top-five finish for themselves as a team at the Nightfall Classic 715.

On a course that G-E-T head coach Paul Gold noted was illuminated “only by generator lights, Christmas bulbs and the pale white of the moon” the Red Hawks were led by senior Adrian Bautista and his time of 17:12.8 in the D2 boys’ 5,000-meter race last Friday night at RiverEdge Golf Course in Marshfield.

G-E-T also had junior Connor McDonnell (17:50.8) in 20th, senior Ayden Aschenbrener (18:17.6) in 30th, sophomore Logan Tibbitts (18:18.7) in 31st and freshman Ivan Smock (18:48.8) in 46th.

Senior Nathan Badillo crossed the finish line in 15th place with a time of 17:34.0 for the Arcadia boys, whose other finishers included seniors Reese Kujak (21:28.1) and Emi Vazquez (21:37.7).

In the girls’ race, G-E-T senior Bella Tibbitts posted a mark of 22:39.8 to finish in 34th overall. Other Red Hawk runners included junior Charlee McCutchen (23:53.3) in 51st, junior Alyssa Pett (23:53.5) in 52nd and freshman Harper McCutchen (24:11.5) in 55th.

Arcadia junior Shaylah Rodriguez (25:32.2) and senior Malanie Moreno (26:36.6) finished in 71st and 82nd, respectively, for the Raiders.

Last Tuesday, both Bautista and the G-E-T boys placed second at the Westby Invitational. Bautista’s mark of 17:15.8 was behind only Hillsboro senior Dominic Kirkpatrick (17:04.8) in first in the boys’ 5,000-meter race.

Other placements for the Red Hawk boys — who accrued 65 team points to finish runner-up to Iowa-Grant (65 points) — were Tibbitts (18:17.9) in ninth, McDonnell (18:36.1) in 14th, Aschenbrener (18:54.3) in 20th and senior Cavin Spitzmacher (19:23.6) in 31st.

Leading the way for G-E-T in the girls’ race were Harper McCutchen (22:48.1) in 25th, Tibbitts (23:27.0) in 31st, Pett (24:40.1) in 44th, Charlee McCutchen (25:27.1) in 54th and freshman Claire Breidenbach (25:40.3) in 57th.