By Mark Schafer | The News-Review
FORT DODGE – In one instant everything, quite literally, seemed to slip away.
As Pekin senior Chloe Glosser rounded the final corner to run down the extensive home stretch, her footing under her slipped away, and the lanky senior tumbled to the ground. With still quite a bit to go, Glosser could have stayed on the ground watched as her second-place position disappeared.
Instead, the senior got back to her feet and let her instincts take over.
“I got up and I just knew I needed to find that final gear, find that gear from God and give it all to him, let him use the abilities in me, and to trust my training and my abilities,” Glosser said. “I knew I had God’s strength and power behind me and I just wanted to finish hard. I knew I had two more minutes left in the race, and I was going to run as fast as I could.”
Ignoring everything else, Glosser got up and focused on the black uniform of Lauren Krogmann from Starmont, who had just passed her. The slip seemed to be just a momentary detour.
Over the final two minutes of the race Glosser not only caught back up to Krogmann, she was able to stride past her, finishing nearly a second ahead of the Starmont junior.
Glosser finished second overall in the class 1A meet, the best she has ever finished in the race. Her time of 18:33.5, just a smidge slower than her third place time from 2024.
“It feels amazing to be able to run as good as I have over the years,” Glosser said. “I feel so blessed to have been able to run as well as I have and use the abilities that I’ve had to finish in the top-5 over the last two years. It is hard with Lili (Denton) being in the same grade and us being in the same class.”
Glosser tried to catch Denton at the start of the girls race on Saturday, but the St. Albert runner seemed determined to showcase her skills. By the time the first mile of the race had expired Denton had already built a 20-second lead. That lead only continued to grow over the next two miles.
“I always have something to chase, so while it is unfortunate to run with Lili all the time, she gives me something to chase,” Glosser said. “I am so thankful for what I have been able to accomplish, and it is just so sad this is my last cross country race in a Pekin uniform. I am so blessed to have had this opportunity to run for Pekin these last four years.”
Glosser wasn’t the only Panther to run at the State cross country race on Saturday.
Millikin leads Pekin boys with 33rd place finish
The Pekin boys cross country team qualified their entire team, and they would finish 14th overall with a total of 294 points. Riverside, Oakland won the meet with 54 points.
Cole Millikin led the way for the Panthers with the 33rd fastest time of 17:12.3. Lane Fariss was 51st overall with a time of 17:37.1. Mason Dahlstrom was 54th overall with a time of 17:39.5. Brody Sobaski finished 136th with a season best time of 19:26. Landon Fariss was 140th with a time of 19:53. Clayton Harvey finished in 148th and Hayden Miller finished in 150th.
