What To Look Forward To At The State Championships


BOYS CLASS A

Season Best Projections: Perham (95), Mankato Loyola/Cleveland (154), Saint James (156), Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin (165)

Season Average Projections: Perham (109), Mankato Loyola/Cleveland (139), Saint James (154), Mounds Park Academy (186)

Top Individuals: Geno Uhrbom (Greenway; 15:48), Matt Steiger (La Crescent; 15:52), Declan Dahlberg (Mounds Park Academy; 15:56), Jacob Bright (West Central; 16:10), Keiser Freetly (LQPV; 16:12), Emmet Anderson (Staples-Motley; 16:14), Owen Keiser (Jordan; 16:16), Carson Speicher (Perham; 16:16), Harris Anderson (Math & Science Academy, 16:22), Clayton Anderson (Perham; 16:24), Nick Meyer (Wabasha-Kellogg, 16:25), Lukas Pierson (Saint James; 16:26), Ethan Olson (Moose Lake/Willow River, 16:29)

The Skinny: Perham will look to reclaim the state championship after narrowly losing to Mora last year, the second year in a row they finished as Mora's runner up. Led by Carson Speicher and Clayton Anderson, they seem poised to take the team title comfortably. Of course both Mankato Loyola and Saint James have had very impressive seasons themselves. Loyola has yet to lost a single meet this fall, and might have the best spread of any team in Class A, while Saint James (led by Lukas Pierson) have been close on Loyola's heels all season. The boys from both Jordan and Mounds Park Academy had a breakout races in section 4A to upset Nova Classical Academy for the team qualifications, and they look to crack the top five here as well. Greenway, led by freshman star Geno Uhrbom, will fight for a top spot as well. Keep an eye out for West Central Area and Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd as well to compete in what promises to be a very tight team battle.

The individual race sees three runners emerging as the head of the field. Defending champion Declan Dahlberg will look to add another state title to his name, but he will be closely challenged by Matt Steiger of La Crescent and the aforementioned Geno Uhrbom. Steiger brings significant experience in big meets, and after being edged out by Dahlberg for the win last year (by the narrowest margin in history), he will be eager to take the win. Uhrbom, a freshman, set the running world alight with his nation-leading time for freshman, 15:48, early in the season. He defeated Dahlberg at the Milaca Mega Meet, and looks to set up what could be four years of dominance with a win over Steiger and Dahlberg. It somehow feels fitting that each of the three Class A favorites come from totally different geographical regions of the State (Uhrbom from the North, Steiger in the South, and Dahlberg from the Twin Cities). This race could be just as close as the historic finish last year, and it's virtually impossible to say who has the upper-hand at this point. The winner will undoubtedly be the one who keeps his cool the best for the first 90% of the race, and then has the best speed in the last 10%.

The top ten will be rounded out by some combination of Keiser Freetly of LQPV, Owen Keiser of Jordan, Carson Speicher and Clayton Anderson of Perham, Ethan Olson of Moose Lake, Emmet Anderson of Staples-Motley, and Jake Paron of North Shore. Freetly had an impressive race at Milaca, finishing second to Geno Uhrbom (the only time this year he didn't win his race) and in front of Declan Dahlberg. Ethan Olson, despite seeming to perennially finish behind Uhrbom this season, will look to build off an impressive top-five finish at the State meet last year. Another freshman, Emmet Anderson, could look to crack the top ten as he has won all but two of his races this fall. Owen Keiser and Jake Paron, who both had strong track seasons, will also push for a spot in the top ten.