Barnes fends off Saxony duo

He held off a challenge from Etzoldt and Maevers in his 5-kilometer tuneup for next month's City of Roses Half Marathon.

Local runner Devon Barnes had a group of state champion Crusaders half his age to contend with among the 118 participants in the Jackson Homecomer 5K Race on Tuesday night at Jackson Park.

Barnes had a pair of the Saxony Lutheran runners with him for about the first mile of the race, but after that Barnes was able to make his move and finished safely ahead of the pack in first overall in a time of 18 minutes, 42 seconds.

"I just stayed up with them and let them pace me," Barnes said. "I felt they were going a little slow so I picked it up."

No stranger to area 5K races, Barnes has been victorious several times with his last race win coming around Easter last spring. Barnes finished second at last year's City of Roses Half Marathon, a race he plans to run in this September.

"These little 5Ks help you out a lot," he said.

While the temperature at the start of the race was still hovering slightly above 90 degrees, race coordinator Shane Anderson said it was relatively cool for this race.

"It was a little cooler than usual," Anderson said. "We've had many a lot more humid and hot than this, but no record-setting times tonight."

The temperature had its affect on the runners.

"It's not easy," Barnes said of the heat. "The ones that are really in shape you can tell. You have to get out and run in this."

Finishing second in a time of 19:00 was Saxony Lutheran junior-to-be Brandon Etzold. Etzold finished fourth last year at the state cross country meet as the Crusaders won the Class 1 state title. Trey Maevers, Etzold's teammate, finished fourth in 19:17. Alex Schneider was third in 19:03.

Barnes said he was pleased with his time and happy to beat out a strong contingent.

"I think last year the winner ran an 18:54, and I wanted to get underneath that," he said.

Kara Niekamp was the top female finisher in a time of 22:19. Sheila Haertling finished second in 22:35, followed by Adela Sams in 23:17 and Amanda Balsman in 24:01.

Anderson said the event was a bit larger than usual and went off well.

"The big thing that makes a good event is that it's safe and that everyone finishes, and tonight that's what happened," he said.

In the one mile youth race Tyler Bollinger won the boys race in 6:54, and Alexa Kelpe won the girls race in 7:22.

---

RESULTS

Homecomer 5K at Jackson City Park

Overall male: Devon Barnes 18:42

Overall female: Kara Niekamp 22:19

Men

14 and under: 1. Cody Green 20:36, 2. Joe Miller 23:33, 3. Kyle Dentanier 28:31

15-19: 1. Brandon Etzold 19:00, 2. Alex Schneider 19:03, 3. Trey Maevers 19:17

20-24: 1. Jeremy Flanders 26:16, 2. Brad Biri 33:09

25-29: 1. Kyle Thompson 19:48, 2. Jason Williams 20:42, 3. Clay Pope 21:08

30-34: 1.Ray Perez 24:19, 2. Brad Walters 24:20, 3. Kent Grayum 24:43

35-39: 1. Brad Ladd 20:52, 2. Jeff Thurman 22:27, 3. Mark Guilliams 24:23

40-44: 1. Rick Miller 22:26, 2. Tomealsi Nomi 22:32, 3. Jim Roach 23:31

45-49: 1. Johnny Vavak 21:37, 2. Dewayne Whitener 24:54, 3. Danny McCrite 25:14

50-59: 1. John Thompson 26:18, 2. Bob Zoll 28:45, 3. Charles McCann 29:58

60-and-over: 1. Ron Duff 20:57, 2. Dean Wendel 26:11, 3. Jamie Driskell 34:53

Women

14 and under: 1. Kelly Litz 25:29, 2. Nicole Parrish 25:42, 3. Dru Haertling 26:01

15-19: 1. Whitney Breitenstein 24:03, 2. Amanda Pitts 24:29, 3. Casey Hatton 25:07

20-24: 1. Amanda Balsman 24:01, 2. Julie Wunderlich 24:06, 3. Elizabeth Flanders 31:30

25-29: 1. Adela Sams 23:17, 2. Carrie Perez 26:46, 3. Torrie Schumacker 29:08

30-34: 1. Grayson Erlbacher 26:51, 2. Nicole Baker 26:56, 3. Tracy Metzger 28:03

35-39: 1. Tammy Statler 24:33, 2. Kay Bant 26:49, 3. Carrie Litz 36:29

40-44: 1. Sheila Haertling 22:35, 2. Felicia Litz 36:10

45-49: 1. Paula Castleman 25:20

50-59: 1. Pat Tollison 29:01, 2. Linda Null 34:12

1 Mile youth race

Boys: 1. Tyler Bollinger 6:54, 2. Alex McCrite 7:09, 3. Anthony Etzold 7:10

Girls: 1. Alexa Kelpe 7:22, 2. Jenna Greene 8:21, 3. Kailey Adams 8:24