Guthrie’s west side was buzzing with excitement once again as the 3rd Annual Clay Tarter Memorial Invitational Cross Country Meet returned to Cottonwood Flats on September 5-6.
What began as a tribute to beloved coach Clay Tarter has grown into one of Oklahoma’s premier cross country events, drawing hundreds of runners and fans from across the state.
“This meet has become one of the premier meets in all of Oklahoma, and we love that it has become a great way to honor Coach Tarter,” said Guthrie head coach Bryce Balenseifen.
The two-day event featured junior high races on Friday, with high school competitions and a community fun run on Saturday.
The invitational, held in Guthrie, brought together schools from across the region for a challenging course and competitive field. It marked another year for Guthrie to serve as host for one of the area’s premier cross-country events.
Coach Balenseifen said hosting the meet is a point of pride for the program, noting how much work goes into making it a success. “This event is special to our team and our community. It gives us the opportunity to showcase our course, bring in great competition, and honor the tradition of Guthrie cross country. Our kids take pride in putting on a great meet and competing hard on their home course.”
In varsity girls’ team results, Edmond Memorial captured first place with a team score of 41, followed closely by Guthrie with a strong second-place finish (58 points). Southeast (60), Stillwater (63), Classen SAS (124), and Bishop Kelley (170) rounded out the top teams.
Guthrie’s Taylor Schroder led the way individually, winning the girls’ race with a time of 20:20.52. She was joined in the top 20 by teammates Laina Richardson (10th), Jaydin Alexander (13th), Kylee Canary (16th), and Addison Poupard (18th).
On the boys’ side, Southeast claimed the team title with 28 points, followed by Stillwater (54), Guthrie (61), and Classen SAS (81).
For Guthrie, Josiah Dement led the boys with a fifth-place overall finish at 17:28.91. Wyatt Watson (9th), Aiden Foster (12th), Brooks Terry (15th), and Corbin Madison (22nd) rounded out the team scoring, placing the Jays solidly in third place among the state’s best.
With the early-season test behind them, both the boys and girls teams will look to build momentum as they continue through the fall schedule, aiming to peak at the right time heading into conference and postseason competition.
Be the first to comment on "Clay Tarter Memorial Invitational draws hundreds to Guthrie; Schroder claims first place"