Reeths-Puffer’s Jaxon Allen is starting to get in gear for the stretch run of his senior season.
Last weekend Allen, a state qualifier the last two years, had his best outing of his season to date, leading the Rockets and taking 10th place at a meet at Michigan State University.
On Saturday he did even better, taking first place in the Eagle Division at the Cougar Falcon Invitational, hosted by Grand Rapids South Christian High School.
R-P's Jaxon Allen, who won the title at the GR Christian Invitational on Saturday.
Allen turned in a time of 16:10.7, beating out St. Joseph’s Shay White, who finished second at 16:22.
R-P Coach Darin Grant said he suggested to Allen before the race that he aim for a 16:20, 44 seconds faster than his time last weekend.
“I’m not sure he believed me at first,” Grant said. “I had to remind him that I am always a realist and am not going to tell him something I don’t think he could do. He surprised me and ran significantly faster.
R-P's Kye Grant
“Jaxon is a competitor, and when he decides to go after things watch out.”
The Rockets finished fifth in the Eagle Division team standings with 101 points. Holland West Ottawa won the title with 71 points.
Reeths-Puffer had three runners in the top 10 of the individual standings – Allen, Kye Grant (fifth place, 16:34.1) and Tate Bradley (10th, 16:49.6). All three won medals for their performances.
Bradley has made huge progress this season. On the same course last year he turned in a time of 18:20, more than a minute and a half slower than his time on Saturday.
R-P's Tate Bradley
“His consistent running this past summer and this season is beginning to yield dividends,” Coach Grant said about Bradley.
The coach also praised sophomores Jack Yonkman (39th place, 18:11.9) and Dylan Sturr (48th, 18:30.9) and junior Gage Bouwman (67th, 21:10.9).
Yonkman knocked more than a minute off the time of his preview race, Sturr beat his previous best time by 50 seconds, and Bouwman shaved 10 seconds off his personal record.
