With Central Cyclones cross country standout Jadyn Palaschuk now running for Long Beach State college in California, it was time for someone new to take over the mantle in the senior girls division during the SHSAA provincial championship on Saturday, Oct. 14.
And wouldn’t you know it, that someone was almost another Moose Jaw runner.
As it stands, Central’s Katie Rogers and Peacock’s Nikolina Kapovic would finish second and third respectively in the event, which took place at the Canada Games Athletic Complex in Regina.
It was as close as could be, though, as Saskatoon Aden Bowman’s Annie Beveridge-Warick would win a sprint to the finish, crossing the line in 14 minutes and eight seconds, two seconds better than Rogers and four seconds ahead of Kapovic.
Beveridge-Warick won her first provincial title in the senior division after finishing second to Palaschuk last season.
The provincial medal is the third for Kapovic, who won bronze as an intermediate in 2021 and also finished third in the junior girls division in 2022.
Rogers has had a steady climb up the standings, landing seventh in intermediate girls in 2021 and fourth in junior girls in 2022.
Assiniboia’s Kayley Beubien was 17th in the senior girls, Central’s Brynn Kell 21st, Central’s Josie Rogers 32nd, Peacock’s Callista McQueen 53rd, Gravelbourg’s Elizabeth Ratzlaff 67th and Peacock’s Cate Schiltroth 82nd.
The junior girls division saw South Central district champion Kelsey McQueen from Peacock finish 28th, with Central’s Rachel Ward 31st, Central’s Ophelia Bourdages 46th, Rouleau’s Hadley Soeder 57th and Assiniboia’s Ella Kwasnicki 60th.
In the intermediate girls division, Jorja Grajczyk had the top South Central finish at 18th overall, with Coronach’s Kalli Thuen 43rd, Peacock’s Elizabeth Rae Ahumada 46th, Rouleau’s Piper Faris 47th, Central’s Amy Parker 61st, Vanier’s Julianna King 68th, Coronach’s Bryn Montgomery 71st, Craik’s Morgan Stephens 75th and Central’s Grace King 84th.
Central’s Mason Muchowski had the top senior boys finish at 17th, while Peacock’s Kaeleb Tabin landed 24th, Peacock’s Carter Zacharias 36th, Peacock’s Dayne Heisler 62nd, Peacock’s Micky Peebles 64th, Vanier’s Wayne Bauluck 65th, Avonlea’s Hudson Heistad 69th, Grevalbourg’s Manny Pagan 78th, Peacock’s Josh Chamberlain 95th and Peacock’s Dawson Thibodeau 96th.
Central’s Sam Mendes led South Central by finishing 23rd in junior boys, while Zakary Philipation was 40th, Peacock’s Cole Whyte 89th and Avonlea’s Chase Callaghan 104th.
The top finish in the intermediate boys came from Central’s Evan Berg at 56th, while Mossbank’s Eli Green finished 58th, Assiniboia’s Drayden Fafard 76th and Vanier’s Griffin Hender 91st.
Central and Peacock finished second and third in the 4A school classification.
