Fortkamp places second

Kellie Fortkamp didn’t let a new course hold her back.
Fortkamp placed second overall at the JCHS cross country meet with the Leo Lions and Woodlan Warriors on Tuesday at Hudson Family Park.
Lindsey Marriott of Leo was the overall winner, crossing the finish line in 19 minutes, 54.44 seconds. Fortkamp trailed Marriott, who was 23rd at the state meet last year as a freshman, for the majority of the race.
Jay County’s girls team did not have enough runners to qualify for a team score, so it took the loss to both the Lions and Warriors.
The Patriot boys lost to Leo 15-40, but beat a Woodlan team that only had two runners. Five runners are needed to make up a full team.
“I just tried pushing myself,” said Fortkamp, a junior who finished the race in 21:35.88. “Since there was no one really around me I just tried pacing myself, looking at my watch every now and then.”
Running at Hudson Family Park for the first time, the Patriots had to deal with uneven terrain, pavement and hill about 60 to 70 feet high. The home meets for JCHS were moved to accommodate the addition of middle school Allen County Athletic Conference races, and it was a bigger challenge then the flat course at the high school.
“It’s a rough course just for the sake they are running up the hill twice,” said JCHS coach Sarah Mescher, whose girls team fell to 0-2 after its first ACAC race. The Jay County boys are now 1-1. “They are going through the woods ... it’s just a rougher course up here.”
Marriott got out to an early lead, leaving Fortkamp and the rest of the field about 30 seconds behind at the 1-mile mark. The Leo sophomore kept her pace, separating herself from Fortkamp by more than a minute at the 2-mile point.
Ericka Kunkler was in fourth place at the 1-mile mark, but was overtaken by a trio of Leo runners during the second mile. The Patriot sophomore fell to eighth with a mile to go, and finished ninth.
Gabby Kunkler placed 10th to give Jay County three runners in the top 10.
“She was a pleasant surprise,” Mescher said of Gabby Kunkler, a freshman. “Her stepping up as a freshman, that was great to be our No. 3 in this race. She’s continuing to improve so that’s exciting.”
Kay Morgan, the lone senior on the Patriot squad, was 15th.
Leo occupied the top eight spots in the boys race, with Jay County’s Tanner Craw placing ninth. The Patriot sophomore had a time of 19:57.06, nearly two minutes behind Will Emery of Leo.
“He’s a pretty solid runner,” Mescher said. “When he runs, he runs hard. He takes it seriously and he gives 100 percent.”
Craw was in sixth at the 1- and 2-mile marks, slightly ahead of Nathan Werling, Steven Leburg and Grant Arbuckle, who were all close on his tail. The Leo trio was able to surpass him in the final third of the race.
Jay County’s Alex LeMaster, a freshman, was 11th and Travis Barton placed 16th.
“He stepped up,” Mescher said of LeMaster. “He’s working hard in practice and I think it showed tonight.
“Travis Barton, he is the leader for the boys team without a doubt. He’s been working hard all summer and it’s showing because he’s improving.”
Dustin Cope finished 21st and Dylan Harris was 23rd.
Matthew Cox, Sayger Holcomb, Dustin Bricker and Jake Nichols placed 25th through 28th.
“I think they did pretty well, given the circumstances it is a new course and a tougher course with the little hill and the little bumps along the way,” Mescher said. “As a whole I think they did pretty well.
“I’m pleased.”

Middle school
Tayler Smeltzer of East Jay Middle School was the overall winner Tuesday, leading the Chiefs to wins over West Jay, Leo and Woodlan.
The EJMS girls team was 2-1, getting wins over Woodlan and West Jay but losing to Leo.
West Jay’s boys team was 1-2, with its only win coming against Woodlan, and the WJMS girls team did not have enough runners to qualify for a team score.
Skylar Myers was second behind Smeltzer, with Mason Winner (fifth), Brayden Sprunger (seventh) and Matt Minnich (ninth) all finishing in the top 10 for East Jay.
Daniel Fugiett led West Jay with a third-place finish. Matt Paquette (10th), Ian McCombs (19th), Logan Brown (28th) and Reese Bowen (37) also ran for the Eagles.
East Jay’s Kendra Muhlenkamp took first place in the girls race, with Klarissa Hemmelgarn, Kristy Alig and Cheyenne Liette finishing 11th, 12th and 13th respectively. Miranda Alig was 15th.
Sophia Fugiett took third for the Eagles. Lexus Harding was eighth, Lillian Clemmons was 19th and Catherine Stafford placed 36th.