Sunday, November 3, 2024

Local runners advance to state cross country meet

Posted

One more race.

That’s what’s up next for two area cross country teams and seven local individuals who qualified for the WIAA State Cross Country Championships after competing Oct. 25-26 at their respective sectional meets.

The Stevens Point and New London boys’ teams are heading to state after placing first at their Division 1 and Division 2 sectionals, respectively.

Stevens Point won the Stevens Point Sectional, held Oct. 26 at Standing Rocks County Park, while New London won a Division 2 sectional on Oct. 26 in Colby.

Also moving on as individuals are Stevens Point’s Tessa Bruckhart and Jalyssa Groskreutz and Hortonville’s Hannah Huza (Division 1); Waupaca’s Owen Lencki and Sienna Timm (Division 2); and Iola-Scandinavia’s Ben Beck and Weyauwega-Fremont’s Marcus Benjamin (Division 3).

The state meet will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2, at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.

Division 1

Stevens Point

Sectional

 One look at the final standings in the boys’ race and it’s easy to see why Stevens Point is considered one of the favorites to win a third straight state boys’ team championship.

The Panthers had the top four finishers and two other runners in the top 10 on Oct. 26.

Ethan Olds turned in a time of 15:59.2 to place first, followed by teammates Cooper Erickson (16:17.7); Andrew Dziak (16:30.3); and Graham Ballard (16:31.9).

John Jazdzewski (16:51.5) and Garrett Strong (16:51.6) placed ninth and 10th, respectively, while the Panthers’ other runner, Donald Voetberg, placed 16th in 17:03.

The Panthers placed first with 19 points, while Neenah’s boys’ team also qualified for state by placing second with 62 points.

Stevens Point also had a pair of runners qualify on the girls’ side, as Bruckhart (19:29) and Groskreutz (19:50.7) placed seventh and 12th, respectively. The Panthers placed third overall with 106 points.

Huza led Hortonville to a fourth-placing finish by placing third in 18:56.2.
Neenah and Kimberly are sending their girls’ teams to state.

Division 2

Waupaca

Sectional

Lencki and Timm qualified as individuals for Waupaca during a sectional held on Oct. 25 at Waupaca High School.

Lencki won the boys’ race in 16:11.8, while Timm placed fourth posting 20:14.9.
The Comets finished 11th in the girls’ standing with 266 points, while the boys placed ninth with 226 points.

“I am so proud of Owen and Sienna for finally reaching their goal of making it to state,” coach Jess Bank said. “Both athletes have worked hard for years to get to this point and have overcome significant injuries in the past that prevented them from performing their best. That they continued to stay mentally tough and focus on their goals despite setbacks shows how strong they are.”

Lencki’s season also included breaking a school record set in 1996 and winning the Waupaca Invitational on the same course.

“Seeing Owen win not only our home invitational earlier in the year, but also the sectional was really special,” Bank said. “Being a senior and being able to claim the title of champion on your home course not once but twice is outstanding. He dropped his time from the home meet to the sectional meet and that shows me that he’s strong and ready to go heading into state.”

Meanwhile, has been an invaluable asset on and off the course, according to Bank.

“Her dedication pushes the other athletes to do their best every day and she is an outstanding mentor to our younger athletes,” she said. “Earlier this season, Sienna broke her own school record that she set last year by almost a minute. The dramatic improvement from last year to this year is thanks in large part to her summer training, including strength training, and truly shows her dedication to the sport.”

Amherst also competed but did not advance any runners to state. The girls placed 10th with 242 points and the boys finished seventh with 207 points.
Campbellsport and Watertown Luther Prep’s boys’ teams advanced to state after placing first and second, respectively, while Watertown Luther Prep and Berlin’s girls’ teams are also moving on.

Colby

Sectional

New London edged Rhinelander to win the boys’ championship Oct. 26 at Colby High School.

The Bulldogs had only one top-10 finisher in Chase Osborn, who placed seventh in 17:12.8, but had four other runners in the top 20: Jonah Stone (12th, 17:51.2); Nick Ploederl (18th, 18:11.9); Braden Clark 919th, 18:15.1); and Leiam Burton (20th, 18:15.5).

New London’s other runners included Joseph Daly (36th, 18:49.3); and Trestan Kaepernick (39th, 18:49.9).

Clintonville also competed, but did not have a complete team. The Bulldogs finished with 76 points, 10 points ahead of Rhinelander.

Tomahawk and Shawano advanced as teams on the girls’ side, while Clintonville and New London placed seventh and eighth, respectively.

Division 3

Manitowoc Lutheran

Sectional

Beck won the boys’ race in Manitowoc posting a 16:51.5 on Oct. 26 to help Iola-Scandinavia place fifth with 132 points.

Benjamin placed third for Weyauwega-Fremont in 17:19.3 helping the Warhawks place ninth with 196 points. Manawa also competed but fielded an incomplete team.

The Iola-Scandinavia, Manawa and Weyauwega-Fremont girls’ teams placed seventh, 11th and 14th with 215, 285 and 320 points, respectively.

Valders and Manitowoc Lutheran’s boys’ teams advanced to state, as well as girls’ teams from Valders and Kewaunee.

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