Locals flood Main Street 5K – Back to Square Run

PHOTO COURTESY OF VERSAILLES MAIN STREET

Runners and Walkers alike take their mark at the annual Versailles Main Street Back to Square Run 5K on Saturday morning. Over 90 participants took part in the event.

Comfortable temperatures and plenty of sunshine early in the morning gave way to streets filled with runners and walkers alike as part of Versailles Main Street’s Back to Square Run on Saturday.

The 5K run and walk event started and finished on the town square as part of a busy Saturday morning that also saw 16 vendors filter in afterwards for Market on the Square.

Two former state finals cross country runners and a current Milan standout were top three finishers in the 5K run that saw 53 total runners take part. South Ripley graduate and Northern Kentucky University standout runner Megan Cole was the overall winner in a time of 18:42 and former Lady Raider teammate Lanie Nicholson took second at 19:47. They were followed by Milan’s Ethan Dehamer, who played a vital role for the Indians in both cross country and track and field this past school year. He crossed the finish line at 20:42.

Catherine Newhart of Versailles was another coverage area top five finisher, running fourth at 21:07. Dillsboro’s Tyler Creek was eighth in 22:10 and Seth Niese of Versailles was ninth at 22:12. South Ripley graduate Kiley Sparks finished 13th in a time of 23:26 and two spots back was current Raider cross country and track head coach Jim Cole in 24:01. Incoming freshman Carter Yelton of the Raiders rounded out the Top 20 at 26:15.

The following were other coverage area participants in the 5K run: Audrey Dieckmann, Osgood, 21st, 26:51; Kenzi Lacey, Batesville, 22nd, 26:59; Deborah Murphy, Versailles, 25th, 28:19; Charlotte Koch, Batesville, 26th, 28:20; Todd Demaree, Versailles, 28th, 29:22; Dylan Underwood, Versailles, 29th, 30:22; David Underwood, Versailles, 30th, 30:24; Kelly Sparks, Dillsboro, 33rd, 30:47; Carol Schwanholt, Milan, 34th, 31:17; Jennifer Miller, Versailles, 35th, 31:47; Matthew Green, Versailles, 38th, 32:16; Kara Young, Osgood, 40th, 32:43; Julie Demaree, Versailles, 41st, 33:41; Alyssa Young, Versailles, 42nd, 34:30.

Reyna Dieckmann, Osgood, 43rd, 37:08; Grant Vordeslandwehr, Versailles, 46th, 43:36; Lynette Young, Versailles, 47th, 53:02; Brittney Lamping, Versailles, 48th, 54:11; Kristen Metcalf, Batesville, 49th, 54:14; Katherine Abshear, Oldenburg, 50th, 54:22.

Dan Leach of Bedford won the the walk portion of the 5K in a time of 34:00 but behind him was a slew of local walkers as the next 14 across the finish line were from the coverage area.

Steve Mathes of Versailles was runner-up at 37:44 and he was followed by Mike Stratton of Holton at 38:03. Osgood’s Ginger Peters and Amy Rodriguez of Versailles rounded out the top five in times of 39:10 and 46:49 respectively. Eddie Rodriguez followed in sixth at 46:49 and the duo of Kaitlyn Vordeslandwehr and Kari Vordeslandwehr finished seventh and eighth at 47:13. Mary Romans of Versailles was ninth in 47:24 and Janice Wilson, also of Versailles, was 10th in 47:25.

Other coverage area walk finishers included the following: Linda Steinhauer, Versailles, 11th, 47:26; Morgan Lanham, Versailles, 12th, 47:26; Henry Peters, Osgood, 13th, 47:43; Sara Salyer, Versailles, 14th, 48:00; Rachel Lawhorn, Versailles, 15th, 48:18; Matthew Menchhofer, Versailles, 17th, 50:36; Melody Wright, Osgood, 18th, 50:57; Mike Peters, Osgood, 19th, 51:31; Melinda Hunger, Versailles, 20th, 53:02; Nevaeh Taylor, Versailles, 23rd, 57:03; April Belanger, Versailles, 24th, 57:04; Diana Hurelbrink, Cincinnati, 26th, 57:18; Joan Roberts, Cross Plains, 27th, 1:01.27; Amy Strunk, Milan, 28th, 1:07.38.

A pair of runs highlight the schedule in Southeastern Indiana over the next few days. The Madison Firecracker 10K will be this Saturday as part of Madison Regatta weekend and Greendale will hold its Fourth of July 5K next week. Both races begin at 8 a.m.