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By Jim Rueda
Free Press Sports Editor
osted to the web on October 15, 2009 |
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October 14, 2009 (MANKATO, MN) — After a year of inconsistency, it appears Mankato East’s Ochan Adome may have finally found his stride.
The senior runner bested a field of 60 at the Mankato East boys cross country invitational Tuesday to post a winning time of 16:21 in the 5,000-meter race. His effort helped the Cougars to a second-place team finish (34 points) behind perennial power Owatonna (28 points) at Land of Memories Park.
Mankato East senior Ochan Adome turned in his career best time Tuesday to win the eight-team East cross country invitational at Land of Memories Park. Pat Christman / The Free Press click for full size
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Adome, a native of Ethiopia who moved to Minnesota when he was 7 years old, said his junior season was a learning experience. He was up and down with his times in 2008 but finished with a strong section meet, placing 26th overall and second for the Cougars.
“I decided to take it more seriously this year,” Adome said. “I was trying to beat my personal best time of 17:13, which I set in this race last year. I did that today.”
East coach Todd Coyour said Adome has been coming on as a runner and did well to beat all the Owatonna entrants.
“This was a pretty strong field today, and he ran a very good race,” Coyour said. “But even more impressive than his running is his development as a person. He’s really matured.
“A few years ago he had little direction in his life, but now he’s a young man who knows what he wants to do. It’s inspiring to see him grow up and improve as a runner, too.”
Tuesday’s strong East outing included a third-place finish by sophomore Ryan Erdman (16:30), a seventh-place effort by senior Kale Karstens (16:53), an 11th-place finish by senior Jacob Seifert (17:15) and a 12th-place showing by sophomore Adam Lorentz (17:19).
“We’ve been running pretty well lately,” Coyour said. “ We have a chance to run with Owatonna in the Big Nine meet (on Tuesday), and we may be able to do something in the section meet, too. The kids are pretty excited.”
Mankato West took third as team with 107 points and was led by Aaron Umhoefer‘s 10th-place finish in 17:10. He was followed by teammates Zach Storm (17th, 17:22), Dan Kronke (21st, 17:37), Trace Johnson (22nd, 17:41) and Grant Gustafson (37th, 18:51).
Mankato East Invitational
BOYS TEAM SCORES: 1—Owatonna 28; 2—Mankato East 34; 3—Mankato West 107; 4—Hastings 123; 5—Benilde-St. Margaret (144); 6—Redwood Valley 161; 7—Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop 214; 8—Faribault 237.
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