Ottumwa -- Sophomore Zach Schocker finished in the top 15 and Indian Hills grabbed fifth place in the team standings as IHCC hosted the Region XI Championship Meet Friday at the Cedar Creek Golf Course. The season began at the same course in late August for the Region XI Time Trials that started the 2019 campaign.
Schocker was 14th in a talented field that included perennial powers Iowa Central, the team champ, and Iowa Western and some very impressive performances by a number of other individuals. It was the first time this fall that Schocker was the first Warrior to cross the finish line, doing so in 25:47 over the 8K course. The time and place earned Schocker a second-team All Region berth.
After Schocker was Conner Riley, whose time of 26:12 was good for 25th place and honorable mention All Region recognition. It was the first time in six meets this fall that Riley did not lead the IHCC runners.
Indian Hills also had Ethan Mesenbrink finish 39th in 26:56, Micha Reed was 45th in 27:25, and a group of four runners who finished in a span of nine places. Jacob Glandon was 59th (28:06), Ben Oliver 62nd (28:15), Cade Curphy 65th (28:25) and Seth Kilborn 67th (28:33). Marc Estrada came in 82nd in 30:24. In all, eight of the nine runners had career bests in the 8,000 meter race.
Indian Hills just missed beating out Hawkeye CC for fourth place. The top six teams at the region meet are currently ranked in the top 25 nationally. (Indian Hills jumped to number 20 after the region championships)
"The course ran very quick," pointed out IHCC head coach Brent Ewing. "The conditions were perfect, temps in the low 50s and no wind. The guys ran lights out. The race started very aggressively and the guys did a great job of handling the fast pace early on and staying tough in the middle miles. They really embraced hosting this meet. We showed that we deserve to compete at the national meet with the way we performed in this one. There's not another conference tougher than ours, aside from the Jawhawk Conference in Kansas."
The Warriors will run in the NJCAA National Meet in Albuquerque, N.M., on Nov. 9.
Region XI Championship Meet
Indian Hills results:
Zach Schocker - 25:47 (14th)
Conner Riley - 26:12 (25th)
Ethan Mesenbrink - 26:56 (39th)
Micha Reed - 27:25 (45th)
Jacob Glandon - 28:06 (59th)
Ben Oliver - 28:15 (62nd)
Cade Curphy - 28:25 (65th)
Seth Kilborn - 28:33 (67th)
Marc Estrada - 30:24 (82nd)