Mosbach gets a kick
 from Princeton Invite

Greg Musselman (left) and Ryan Arndt carry the Princeton blues across the Zearing Park trails in Saturday’s Princeton Invitational. (BCR photo/Kevin Hieronymus)

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PRINCETON — Elizabeth Mosbach had it; Hall teammate Scott Janusick didn’t quite have enough of it.

Mosbach outkicked Mendota ace Hayley Sack to the finish line of Saturday’s Princeton Invitational Cross Country Meet at Zearing Park by 1.6 seconds. The Lady Devils sophomore clocked a 19:49.1 to Sack’s 19:50.7.

Janusick shadowed Newman’s Dillon Reyes in the boys’ race, but didn’t have the kick to keep up with the Comets senior, who streaked through the chutes for a winning time of 15:51.1. Janusick finished second in 15:55.8 and Bureau Valley’s Derrick Johnson was fourth in 16:26.8.

Mosbach, pulled out in front near the two-mile mark, but didn’t think she could overtake Sack when the Mendota runner passed her by coming down the home stretch.

“I thought I was done. I was like, ‘You know what, she’s going to beat me. She’s a better runner than me,’” Mosbach said. “Everyone started cheering and I didn’t want to let everyone down (and I thought), ‘I’m just going to try,’ and I did it.”

“I know she has a really good kick. I just went all out.”

Sack said she’s getting used to those kind of finishes.

“I go too fast and girls get me at the end,” she said. “She’s beaten me before and I’ve beaten her before, but I don’t think we’ve ever been that close.”

The Princeton girls had their best team finish in the PI since 2002, placing fourth of 11 teams with 110 points. Rock Falls was first at 73 followed by Orion (99) and Newman (100).

Sophomore Emma Makransky led the Tigresses with a 12th-place 20:47.1 with C.J. Rhodes (17th, 21:26.6) and Alix Forristall (18th, 21:32.6) kicking in key points.

PHS coach Pat Hodge said he was so occupied in getting the course changed from City-County Park to Zearing Park, he didn’t spend any time talking race strategy with his team.

“I just remember telling the girls that I thought we had a shot at a plaque and telling everyone that we should be competitive,” he said.

Newman’s Reyes won the PI’s boys’ race for the second straight year, but didn’t know if he could hold off Janusick at the end.

“I was a little shaky, because I’ve seen his kick and his kick is pretty strong, too,” he said. “He’s got longer legs vs. my shorter legs. You figure you give the upper hand to him. I just had to power down and say go.

“He’s (Janusick) a good runner. I remember him from track. He’d always give us a run for our money. I can’t wait to race him all the rest of the year.”

Janusick was aiming for a top-four finish and said taking second to Reyes is a big confidence boost.

“He was ranked No. 2 coming in, so I’m overall happy to stick with him that long,” he said. “I knew I didn’t have enough energy to lead the whole thing, (so you want to) just find a guy like him that’s a little faster than you or the same pace to push you.”

BV’s Derrick Johnson, was fourth with a time of 16:26.8. He was pleased for an early season test with the Comets and Red Devils.

“Newman’s going to be tough. We’re just trying to reel them in as the year goes,” he said. “I think this was a good experience just because as team we’re coming together.”

BV placed third as a team with 86 points, gaining a 13th-place finish from Ryan Johnson and a 23rd-place finish from Trent Johnson. The Storm ran without junior ace Nate DeVenney, who was resting a groin injury. BV coach Dale Donner is not sure of DeVenney’s status for Saturday’s BV Invite.

Hall was fourth (119), helped by a seventh-place finish by senior T.J. Mosbach (16:34.5).

Princeton (145) was seventh, led by 19th Zach Kieffer (17:24.5) and 22nd Jacob Mead (17:30.8).

Szymon Ligas (24th) and St. Bede took eighth.

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