Newton Cross Country Teams Shine at Competitive Invitational
Photos by Marcia Street
The Newton Eagles cross country teams turned in strong performances over the weekend at a highly competitive invitational meet, with both the boys and girls squads placing solidly among the top contenders in deep fields.
Lady Eagles Take Third Overall
The Newton girls placed third overall out of ten teams, finishing behind Shelbyville and Tolono (Unity). The Eagles posted a combined team time of 1:45:20.6, led by senior standout Layna Marshall, who earned a 3rd-place individual finish with a time of 19:31.6.
Freshman Heather Bergbower continued her impressive debut season, taking 6th place in 20:17.0, while sophomore Avery Geier placed 19th in 21:21.8. Rounding out the scoring for Newton were Nora Street (24th, 21:40.2) and Kimberly Bierman (32nd, 22:29.8).
Additional strong efforts came from Josie Vogt (43rd, 23:23.9) and senior Shay Bennett (45th, 23:35.5), with Lily Yager and Alivia Bierman also contributing competitive finishes.
Eagle Boys Earn Sixth Place Finish
On the boys’ side, Newton claimed a 6th-place team finish with a total time of 1:30:50.4, led by senior Tanner Whitaker, who placed 17th overall in 17:21.6. Fellow senior Hayden Borgic followed close behind in 30th place (17:52.0), while Johnnie Brant and Holden Barthlemy crossed nearly together in 18:18.0 and 18:24.0, respectively.
Sophomore Alec Bower completed the scoring with a 61st-place finish in 18:54.6, giving Newton a tight 1-through-5 spread that demonstrated consistency and depth. Senior Wade Ochs (19:16.5) and freshman Kendall Probst (19:41.2) also contributed valuable times to the team’s strong showing.
Looking Ahead
Both Newton teams continue to build on a season marked by steady improvement and competitive performances against larger schools. With several runners turning in season-best times, the Eagles look poised to make noise in the final stretch of the fall season.
Top Newton Finishers
Girls:
- Layna Marshall – 19:31.6 (3rd)
- Heather Bergbower – 20:17.0 (6th)
- Avery Geier – 21:21.8 (19th)
- Nora Street – 21:40.2 (24th)
- Kimberly Bierman – 22:29.8 (32nd)
Boys:
- Tanner Whitaker – 17:21.6 (17th)
- Hayden Borgic – 17:52.0 (30th)
- Johnnie Brant – 18:18.0 (41st)
- Holden Barthlemy – 18:24.0 (42nd)
- Alec Bower – 18:54.6 (61st)
