On-site Coverage
Minnesota's early cross country season has been plagues with high heat and humidity, causing a number of meets to be cancelled last week, and creating challenges for achieving fast times. While many athletes found themselves in the medical tent and a handful were brought to a local hospital to be treated for dehydration, the races went on!
On the boys side, Obsa Ali of Richfield earns top honors in his first 5 of the 2013 season with a 16:14.0. Cal Lawton (Eden Prairie) improved on last year's 3rd place finish to take 2nd in 16:29.7 and Jacob Young (Eden Prairie) improved on last year's 12th place finish with a 3rd place 16:32.1, 9 seconds faster than last year. As a team, Eden Prairie improved on last year's 2nd place finish to take the top team honors with 57 points and snagging 4 of the top 15 spots. Robbinsdale Armstrong improved on their 10th place finish last year to take 2nd, and Hopkins moved to 3rd place after winning their home meet last year. Several of last year's top finishers did not compete this year due to injury, including last year's medalist, Joe Klecker (Hopkins), 2nd place finisher Joey Duerr (Chaska) and 4th place finisher, Nick Golebiowski (St. Cloud Cathedral).
In the girl's race, Shakopee's Tess Misgen takes medalist honors with a 15:00.7, followed by Anastasia Korzenowski (Chanhassen) at 15:06.3 and Hannah Jeter (Eden Prairie) in 15:14.2, improving on last year's 14th place finish. Eden Prairie (led by Jeter with her teammate Samantha Schnirring taking the 5th spot in 15:24.4) and Chanhassen (led by Korzenowski and followed by her teammate, Grace Loeslie taking the 4th place in 15:17.2)tied for the team honors at 71 points each with Eden Prairie taking the top spot based on the finish of their 6th runner. Lakeville South, led by Annie Brekken in 9th place (15:33.4) took the 3rd team spot with 86 points.
With the heat and humidity, times were slower on both the boy's and girl's side. Both the varsity races were over a minute slower on average times. Of athletes that ran in both 2012 and 2013 the boy's average time was 13 seconds slower this year and the girl's average time was 43 seconds slower.