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Boys -
Girls
Tegenkamp Nears a Landmark!
by Brandon Daniels
This past weekend, one Missouri performance caught the eye of the state’s
running community. Lee’s Summit senior Marc Tegenkamp pulled away
from the field on the hilly A.L.Gustin Golf Course at the University of
Missouri. “I really had to work to do it, claimed Tegenkamp, “and
I really wouldn’t have done it if I did not try that hard!”
Hickman’s Nathan Smith was the closest finisher to Tegenkamp in
a time of 15:57.09. Tegenkamp explained, “Nate Smith was tough,
too. It was hard to shake him off, but I finally lost him at the mile
and a half. He was right with me for most of the way. The Springfield
Kickapoo kid [Alex Morris, 16:08.73] was right in there for a while.”
With a humble attitude about the 15:38 performance, Tegenkamp later found
that he was just eight seconds off of his brother’s course record
of 15:30 flat. “It makes me happy to know that I’m that close
to where he was. He is doing really well with training right now.”
The Lee’s Summit boys finished in third place, but only 44 points
away from first place. The Tiger ladies remarkably finished 51 points
ahead of second place to claim the team title. “Yeah, our girls
are extremely good this year. Kelli Denny [19:09.31] is actually running
pretty well right now. Amy Stetz [Stetzler, 19:17.11] is really good and
she’s also young. I think they’ll improve a lot – by
the end of the year.”
At the Kansas City Sectional Qualifier, the boys will be left with the
challenge of placing within the top four teams. “I don’t know
how it’s going to play out. We could finish second place or we could
end up getting sixth – it’s just all going to depend on how
we run that day. We are planning on having Peter Browne [Sr. 15:50.53
personal best] back by the Kansas City Metro meet. We are just trying
to have him come back slowly.”
With a performance, on a tough course, this early in the season, Tegenkamp
could possibly be considered an underdog for the Footlocker Midwest meet.
“I really don’t know about that. Right now, I’m just
looking forward to state. That’s where my focus is. I would like
to be in the 15:15 to 15:10 range for the Blue Springs sectional [state
qualifier]. At state, I really want to run with Adam [Perkins, Liberty
HS]. If I get beat by him, that’s okay, but I really want to be
with him in the race just to give myself a chance.”
Boys
St. Louis University high school claimed victory with 38 points while
averaging 16:39. The assault led by Andrew Linhares [16:31.84] was backed
with four teammates within the top eleven individuals. The race was won
by Lee's Summit senior Marc Tegenkamp [15:38.26] who trailed his brother's
course record by just 8 seconds. Worthy of second place, was Hickman high
school's Nathan Smith in a time of 15:57.09.
Girls
The girls race was won by Lee's Summit front runner Kelli Denny in a
time of 19:09.31. Denni and teammate Amy Stetzler [19:21.85] led Lee's
Summit to a 51 point victory over in-town rivals Lee's Summit North [74
points]. After two meets, the Lady Tigers have shown potential as state
title contenders. All team scorers placed within the top twelve individual
runners. Following Denny was Gina Kennison of Moberly in a time of 19:17.11.
DyeStat Missouri
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