Lasting impression: BCLUW's Silver wins state medal

FORT DODGE – Caleb Silver didn't want to be passed anymore.
 
One year ago, he was just five spots short of an individual medal at the state cross country meet.
 
This fall, with his teammates in tow running together representing BCLUW for the first time since 2012, Silver made sure to leave Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge with some hardware.
 
Silver's last kick down the home stretch of the Class 1A boys race lifted him from 8th and 9th to a 6th-place finish in 16:45, pacing BCLUW's 11th-place team finish at Fort Dodge.
 
"My goal was to keep my original spot but that final adrenaline kicked in," Silver said. "Last race, I just wanted to give it my all. … I'm not here just to run but to represent God and run for His glory, it's an honor to be up there, know that I'm in the top pack and gave everything I had."
 
The Comets scored 240 points, six points shy of 10th-place South Winneshiek, who BCLUW beat at the state-qualifying meet by two points.
 
Silver earned third-place team points with his finish. Ruben Montoya was 35th in 18:00, Treye Teske ran 62nd in 18:47, Neifer Ralston was 64th in 18:48, Henry Kaisand ran 76th in 19:06, Joe Mason was 97th in 21:00 and Tanner McLeland finished 102nd in 21:53.
 
"I'm so proud of them," Silver said. "It's awesome to run with these guys and I know there's going to be big things in the future for this program. It's been one heck of a career."
 

View more State Cross Country photos 
 

 
For the full story, see this week's Grundy Register. Subscribe by calling (319) 824-6958 or clicking here.