JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Kaleb Wilson had been taking down records all season.
The windy conditions and soft course did not lend itself to toppling another record Saturday at the Oak Hills Golf Center, but one more record was really irrelevant for Wilson. He was focused on just winning the Class 1 race and leading his team to the elusive first-place finish.
Wilson got it done on both accounts, leading teammates to hoist him up on their shoulders in celebration.
“I couldn’t sleep last night and didn’t get to bed till 2:30 a.m.,” said Wilson, who won in 17:01. “Then we got here, and I had to get out of sight of my coach because I kind of dry-heaved.”
Linn edged Sparta by one point, 78-79, an even narrower finish than Linn’s runner-up last year to College Heights Christian by four points. The 1-2 finish of Wilson and teammate Tyler Rush (17:03) went a long way toward ensuring that victory, and it was the same way the duo have finished every race this season.
“We’re going to push ourselves and each other to come in 1-2 no matter what we have to do,” Rush said. “It is the greatest feeling.”
Wilson said, “It shows all the hard work we put in together over the summer mileage. It all pays off in the end.”
Linn coach Tim Bower said while he knew Wilson and Rush would be up front again, he was excited by the ninth-place finish junior Chase Barbarick gave the team.
Watch the post race interview with Coach Bower and the boys from Linn
“Coming up that last stretch, he passed one of the Vienna kids which got us another point, and I think it put us over the top,” Bower said. “It was a team effort. It’s great to have that 1-2 finish, but it took all seven today.”
Wilson has been running all season to honor his cousin Josh Webb, who is still in the hospital following a car accident in early September.
“I went and prayed with his dad before the race,” Wilson said. “We exchanged some good words for motivation. He was on my mind the whole race. I was hearing, ‘Do it for Josh’ the whole race everywhere, and it was motivating and helped me out.”
Webb’s parents made it to the first of Wilson’s races this season, and there were several tearful embraces after the race.
Brenda Webb, Josh’s mother and Wilson’s aunt, said Josh had a small setback but is now in stable condition. She said watching Wilson run and following his accomplishments all season have provided comfort to the family.
“Kaleb has been an inspiration, and his faith in what he’s wanted to run for, it’s awesome,” Brenda said. “Kaleb’s always there to tell him how he did each week; I know Josh hears him.”
The girls’ Class 1 race turned into a two-runner battle between defending champion Mackenzie Weis of Midway and College Heights Christian junior Savannah Beaver. Beaver made a move to pass Weis as the pair crested Firehouse Hill. It didn’t take long for Weis to rally back and regain the lead, which she continued to grow over the final 1,000 meters to win in 20:12.
“The plan was to break away at the first mile, but that didn’t happen,” Weis said. “I had trouble getting up that hill, and she passed me. I got to the top and said, ‘I’ve got to pass her. The finish is right there, so I’ve got to keep going and going.’
“I was so nervous. I was a wreck before the race. This year was much worse because I had that need to do it again. I wanted it for myself, and it made me nervous.”
Beaver held on for second in 20:29, which was more than 30 seconds ahead of DeKalb freshman Ryleigh Reagan. Beaver said she knew she had to attack Firehouse Hill and hope it was enough.
“We’ve been working on hills on season, so they’ve started to become my strong point,” Beaver said. “I knew she wasn’t taking the hill so well because I could see her slowing down. I thought the best place to pass her was coming up Firehouse. I passed her then, but she got me 10 seconds later because she’s good on the downhill.
“My plan was to stay right behind her and dog her for the entire race. I was hoping if I could dog her for the entire race I could blow past her at the end, but that didn’t happen. When she passed me after Firehouse, she passed me with such force, I didn’t think I could catch her; she had too much left.”
Reagan caught St. Joseph’s Christian junior Hannah Olson in the final 100 meters to take third in 21:16.
Russellville captured the team title with 86 points behind two top 10 finishes – sophomores Miranda Hill and Grace Young in seventh and 10th, respectively.
