Reischman wins Chaffee's first medal

JEFFERSON CITY -- Chaffee senior Sarah Reischman started crying the moment she hit the finish line Saturday afternoon at Oak Hills Golf Center.

And she still was moved to tears easily 15 minutes later.

It had nothing to do with pain. Nothing to do with the chilly weather and gusty wind.

Nothing but joy.

"It's amazing," Reischman said through tears before heading to the award ceremony. "It makes me want to laugh, it makes me want to cry; pretty much everything. It's my last year and I never thought I would get all-state."

Reischman became the first state medalist for the second-year Chaffee program, finishing 19th in 22 minutes, 17 seconds.

"I can't say enough about her," Chaffee coach Travis Calkins said. "I didn't know if top 25 was in the realm of possibility, but she proved me wrong. I think she probably ran a full minute faster today than she's ever ran in her life.

"She's been the face of the program the last two years, and her leadership has been unbelievable."

In fact, Calkins said, he thought Reischman's might be the only face he saw when the program started.

"I went up to her and said, 'I'm going to be the coach and you might be the only girl on the team,'" he recalled. "She's been incredible."

Reischman has company, and Chaffee followed its debut showing at the state meet by climbing from 14th out of 15 teams last year to 10th of 16 this year.

That reached the goal Calkins set for the team.

Reischman's goal was to stay with Saxony Lutheran's Kristen Dippold and Lucy Gage, which put her in good company.

Dippold and Gage became Saxony's first two all-state runners. Dippold, a sophomore, finished eighth; and Gage, also a sophomore and the younger sister of Saxony boys state medalist Ross Gage, finished not too far behind Reischman in 24th.

"I was really, really tired near the end," Dippold said. "The last mile I felt pretty much dead and unconscious. I couldn't really think anything; I just tried to stay with people and then pass them."

Oak Ridge freshman Amanda Lappe just missed out on a state medal, finishing 26th in the Class 1 girls race.

Kelly's Tara Johnson earned all-state in Class 2 for the second straight year, finishing 14th. She was 17th last year and 68th as a sophomore.

"I tried my best," Johnson said. "You always want to go better, but I gave it all I could. I was actually 5 seconds slower this year than last year, but with the weather conditions, what can you do?"

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Team scores -- 1, Penney 58; 2, Midway 100; 3, Marion County 119; 4, Rock Port 156; 7, Saxony Lutheran 183; 10, Chaffee 221.

Individuals

Saxony -- 8, Kristen Dippold, 21:39; 24, Lucy Gage, 22:32; 70, Claire Skelton, 24:27; 93, Tori Winter, 25:11; 104, Sarah Winningham, 25:26.

Chaffee -- 19, Sarah Reischman, 22:17; 71, Sierra Miller, 24:30; 89, Liz Schlosser, 25:03; 98, Sarah Sigman, 25:19; 99, Randi Wiley, 25:21; 102, Cassie Hindman, 25:25; 146, Rachel Reischman, 28:32.

Delta -- 63, Renae Bartels, 24:14.

Oak Ridge -- 26, Amanda Lappe, 22:41; 74, Shelby Proctor, 24:37.

Advance -- 75, Rebecca Shrum, 24:37.

Class 2

Kelly -- 14, Tara Johnson, 21:30.

Woodland -- 78, Molly Arnzen, 23:19.