Event Coverage Central: Week Eight

COVERAGE: MONDAY | TUESDAY | TUESDAY CONT | WED-THU

Tuesday 10/15

St. Paul City Conference Championships

FULL MEET RESULTS | VIDEO COVERAGE

BOYS TEAM CHAMP: SAINT PAUL HIGHLAND PARK | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Oliver Paleen, Highland Park, 15:47.0

RECAP: MNXCCA Class AA no. 6 Highland Park controlled the race from up front on the way to a convincing St Paul City Conference title on Tuesday. The Scots ran four athletes in the top five including individual champ and coaches no. 1 ranked Oliver Paleen who pulled away from second place St Paul Central senior and MNXCCA no. 2 ranked individual Mickies Kiros with a mile to go. Highland Park senior Calvin Boone was third followed by senior teammates Conor Gregg Escalante and Sam Vanspriell finishing out the team win with top five finishes. Central was second in the team standings.

GIRLS TEAM CHAMP: HIGHLAND PARK | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Molly Moening, Highland Park, 18:25.0

RECAP: Highland Park was a single spot off of the perfect score in the team race and sophomore MNXCCA no. 3 Molly Moening cruised to the individual title for the Scots. St Paul Central sophomore and class AA coaches ranked no. 10 Iris Guider continued her breakout season with a second place finish in a new career PR 18:44, her second time under 19 minutes this year. Highland freshman Delia Johnson was third in a new PR of 18:48, her first time under 19 minutes in 2019, an over a a minute better than her time at the conference meet last season. Highland took the final two spots in the top five with freshman grader Chloe Koch and seventh grader Ellie Moore also running PR efforts.

Suburban East Conference Championships

FULL MEET RESULTS | PHOTO GALLERIES

BOYS TEAM CHAMP: MOUNDS VIEW INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Maxwell NelsonWhite Bear Lake, 15:56.0

RECAP: MNXCCA class AA no. 1 Mounds View won the Suburban East in a battle of pack running excellence among three of the state's top ranked teams. The Mustangs used a 45 second split and the meet's best 16:20 average to take the title. The Mounds VIew pack was just head of second place no. 2 ranked White Bear Lake who was led by individual winner senior Maxwell Nelson. WBL posted a 56 second split and 16:24 average to better third place and no. 4 ranked Stillwater. The Ponies had the best split of just 30 seconds but averaged a 16:37 and had a top runner just behind the top two teams. Coach ranked no. 10 Mounds View senior Finn Sokolowski was runner up followed by East Ridge junior John Faller in third. Forest Lake senior Max Charlsen ran fourth followed by Stillwater junior Ethan Vargas in the fifth spot. 


GIRLS TEAM CHAMP: STILLWATER | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Analee Weaver, Stillwater, 18:13.0

RECAP: MNXCCA no. 1 ranked Stillwater cruised to the team title led by no. 4 ranked junior Analee Weaver taking the individual title in 18:13. The Ponies put their top five in the top 16 and won with a 79 second split and 18:55 average. East Ridge sophomore no. 6 ranked Halle Mestery was runner-up in a career PR 18:25, her fourth time under 19 minutes this season. White Bear Lake senior Madeline Verkerke was third in a new PR of 18:42. Stillwater freshmen teammates Brooke Elfert and Avery Braunshausen both ran under 19 minutes in the fourth and fifth overall spots, keying the Ponies conference championship. 

Big 9 Conference Championships

FULL MEET RESULTS

BOYS TEAM CHAMP: ROCHESTER CENTURY | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Carter Briggs, Winona 15:44.9

RECAP: Rochester Century earned the Big 9 title in one of the closest meets of conference championship Tuesday. Just 16 points separated first from fourth place and just a 16 second gap in team averages over that span. Century edged runner-up Mankato East by just two points with a 42 second split and 16:58 average that was ten seconds behind the second place team. Third place team Winona was led by senior and MNXCCA class AA no. 11 Carter Briggs who took home the individual title by less than a second over runner-up senior Jett Oachs of Mankato East. Both races were among top 10 performances in the state so far this season for the senior rivals. Rochester John Marshall senior Metijwok Omod was third followed by Winona junior Cody Peterson and fifth place finisher Mankato East junior Andrew Johnson. Faribault was fourth in the tight team race.

GIRLS TEAM CHAMP: RED WING | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Grace Johnson, Red Wing, 19:01.8

RECAP: Red Wing took home the Big 9 girls title led by individual champ, senior Grace Johnson, one of two Wingers in the top five. Red Wing took home the win with a 20:01 average and three in the top 11 overall. Faribault was second as a team with a better team split but lost points in the second through third positions. Owatonna eighth grader Carsyn Brady was second followed by Faribault senior Madelyn Skjeveland in third. Winona senior Anni Skillicorn was fourth with Red Wing eighth grader Addie Fjetland in fifth overall. Owatonna was third with John Marshall running fourth in the team standings.

Camden Conference Championships

FULL MEET RESULTS

BOYS TEAM CHAMP: LAC QUI PARLE VALLEY | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Griffin Johnson, Laq Qui Parle Valley, 17:10.0

RECAP: Lac Qui Parle Valley ran their top seven in the top ten to cruise to the boys Camden Conference title. They were led by senior Griffin Johnson who edged teammate Mikey Kvaal at the line. LQPV junior Ezekiel Sather was just a step behind in third with Yellow Medicine East junior Bertram Munk taking fourth. Ortonville junior Nathan Neu rounded out the top five. LQPV ran a 17:29 team average over a 57 second split in the win.

GIRLS TEAM CHAMP: CANBY-MINNEOTA | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Grace Drietz, Canby-Minneota, 19:37.0

RECAP: Canby-Minneota edged LQPV for the girls Camden title. Between the two teams, they took the top ten individual spots led by Canby-Minneota sophomore Grace Drietz who won by nearly a minute over second place LQPV freshman Anika Fernholz. C-M eighth grader Braeleyn Merritt was third followed by her teammate junior McKenzie Ruether in fourth. LQPV senior Annika Trygestad rounded out the top five. 

Central Lakes Conference Championships

FULL MEET RESULTS

BOYS TEAM CHAMP: WILLMAR | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Fuad Bashir, Willmar, 16:34.2

RECAP: Willmar took the Central Lakes championship with five in the top 11 over a 47 seconds split and 16:58 average. Willmar junior Fuad Bashir was the individual champ as one of five Cardinals in the top five. Saint Cloud Apollo senior Liban Mohamed was runner-up followed by Willmar senior Mason Wendt. Alexandria junior Jacob Kleven was fourth with Willmar senior Aden Aden taking fifth. Just two seconds separated second from fifth place. St Cloud Apollo was team runner-up.

GIRLS TEAM CHAMP: ALEXANDRIA | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Lauren Eilers, Willmar, 18:55.7

RECAP: Alexandria ran five in the top nine to earn the conference title. Willmar seventh grader Lauren Eilers was the individual champ edging runner-up Rocori eighth grader Katelyn Motter by six seconds. Alexandria senior Caitlin Bright was third followed by Rocori eighth grader Paige Larsen and Alexandria sophomore Aleah Miller rounding out the top five. Alexandria posted a razor thin 18 second split in averaging 19:27 in their victory. Rocori was runner-up as a team.

Central Minnesota Conference Meet

FULL MEET RESULTS

BOYS TEAM CHAMP: MAPLE LAKE | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Carter Grove, Osakis, 17:07.9

RECAP: Maple Lake took home the Central Minnesota title with five runners in the top 15 overall. Osakis senior Carter Grove won the individual championship. Royalton senior Chris Borash was second followed by Maple Lake no.1 Jeffrey Henrickson in third. Holdingford senior Ezekial Woods was fourth with Eden Valley-Watkins-Kimball senior Nick Young running fifth. 

GIRLS TEAM CHAMP: HOWARD LAKE-WAVERLY-WINSTED | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Gracie Mallak, Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted, 19:32.6

RECAP: Led by senior Gracie Mallak winning the individual title by nearly 30 seconds, MNXCCA class A no. 5 Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted ran away for the team title. HL-W-W put their top five in the top ten to pull away from runner-up Maple Lake who had four in the top 13. Mallak was followed by sophomore teammate Brooke Baumann in second. Maple Lake junior Mary Miller was followed by teammates sophomore Sophie Pribyl and junior Augusta Demarais in the top five. 

Gopher Conference Championships

FULL MEET RESULTS

BOYS TEAM CHAMP: MEDFORD | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Cole Stenzel, Maple River, 17:50.7

RECAP: Medford was victorious at the Gopher Conference championship with three in the top ten and the fastest fifth man in the meet. Maple River freshman Cole Stenzel won the individual championship. New Richland-H-E-G junior Daniel Nydegger was second followed by Medford junior Tyler Stursa in third. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown eighth grader Landon Dimler took fourth while Medford freshman Cohen Stursa ran fifth in a key placement for the winning team.

GIRLS TEAM CHAMP: WATERVILLE-ELYSIAN-MORRISTOWN | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Addison Peed, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, 20:37.9

RECAP: Waterville-Elysian-Morristown cruised to a perfect score win led by freshman Addison Peed winning the individual title. Sophomore Lauren Dimler, eighth grader Madison Zimbrich, freshman Ashlin Keyes and junior Emma Johnson represented the top five and scoring team for W-E-M. 

Granite Ridge Conference Meet

FULL MEET RESULTS

BOYS TEAM CHAMP: SAINT CLOUD CATHEDRAL | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Cooper Lennox, Mora, 16:48.0

RECAP: St Cloud Cathedral took the team title with a 45 second split and 17:40 average. Mora senior Cooper Lennox rebounded from a slow start of the season to end up the conference champion in 16:48. Albany sophomore Grant Mayers was second followed by St Cloud Cathedral sophomore Turner Schad and senior Mitch Miller. Little Falls freshman Wyatt Baum finished fifth overall. 

GIRLS TEAM CHAMP: ALBANY | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Kristine Kalthoff, Albany, 19:49.3

RECAP: Albany turned in a commanding fifty point win in the team race led by individual champ, junior Kristine Kalthoff. Zimmerman freshman Hailee Zimpel was second followed by a pair of Albany runners eighth grader Olivia Goebel and senior Rachel Neu. LIttle Falls junior Courtney Loeffler was fifth as the top runner for the second place Flyers.

Great River Conference Meet

FULL MEET RESULTS

BOYS TEAM CHAMP: RUSH CITY | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Broderick Larson, Rush City, 17:53.0

RECAP: Led by individual champ, senior Broderick Larson, Rush City also claimed the team title by just two points over second place Pine City. Rush City claimed three of the top five spots and that proved the difference. Pine City senior Nate Webster was second followed by Rush City senior Matthew Papke in third. Hinckley-Finlayson senior Brock Bjerke was fourth followed by Rush City sophomore and no. 3 runner Joey Papke.

GIRLS TEAM CHAMP: PINE CITY | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Alaina Steele, Pine City, 20:20.0

RECAP: Pine City snagged a two point team win over Hinckley-Finlayson, led by senior Alaina Steele taking the individual title. H-F eighth grader Reese Hartl was second followed by Pine City eighth grader Eva Johnson, a key low score for the Dragons. Onamia sophomore Molly Saboo was fourth followed by Pine City eighth grader Arissa Rydberg.

Hiawatha Valley League Conference Championships

FULL MEET RESULTS

BOYS TEAM CHAMPS: LAKE CITY |  INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Isaac Threinen, Kasson-Mantorville, 16:34.7 

RECAP: MNXCCA no. 9 Lake City dominated with six of the first 12 runners across the line on the way to the team title. Kasson-Mantorville senior Isaac Threinen was the individual champ. Lake City sophomore Reese Anderson was second followed by the Pine Island duo of junior Tanner Horton and Eric Wittlief. Lake City sophomore Andrew Muenzhuber was fifth overall. Lake City averaged a 17:21 with a 53 second split in a meet with no other teams under a minute in their team split.

GIRLS TEAM CHAMPS: LAKE CITY | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Natasha Sortland, Zumbrota-Mazeppa/Kenyon-Wanamingo, 17:48.1

RECAP: The top ranked class A runner in Minnesota, Zumbrota-Mazeppa/Kenyon-Wanamingo freshman Natasha Sortland, used the best time in the state thus far to win the Hiawatha Valley League by nearly a minute. Class A no. 6 Lake City took the team title with five in the top 18 and three in the top ten in a 20:05 average. No. 12 ranked Lake City freshman Jacey Majerus was runner-up in a new PR of 18:51.6. Rochester Lourdes seniors Lauryn Renier and Meg Degen were third and fourth. Stewartville senior Kailee Malone was fifth overall. 

Iron Range Conference Championships

FULL MEET RESULTS

BOYS TEAM CHAMPS: GREENWAY/NASHWAUK-KEEWATIN | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Geno Uhrbom, Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin, 15:49.7

RECAP: Led by individual champ class A no. 5 junior Geno Uhrbom, Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin cruised to the team victory. The Titans averaged a 17:15, more than a minute better than second place Virginia. No. 10 ranked Virginia freshman Cameron Stocke was second followed by G-N-K seniors Spencer Engel and Greg Peterson. Eveleth-Gilbert senior Andrew Larsen was fifth.

GIRLS TEAM CHAMPS: MESABI EAST | INDIVIDUAL CHAMPS: Ava Hill, Mesabi East, 19:12.6

RECAP: Mesabi East nipped Hibbing by a single point to earn the Iron Range title led by senior Ava Hill winning the individual race by over a minute. Mesabi East ran three runners in the top six but Hibbing nearly overcame that advantage with a 37 second split that put their fifth athlete in front of the champ's fourth runner. Virginia junior Alex Wercinski was second just a second in front of Mesabi East junior Lydia Skelton in third. Eveleth-Gilbert senior Natalie Fultz was fourth three ticks ahead of International Falls sophomore Ryan Ford.

Metro East Championships

FULL MEET RESULTS

BOYS TEAM CHAMP: SAINT THOMAS ACADEMY | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Magnus Herschbach, Henry Sibley, 16:50.1

RECAP: St Thomas Academy claimed a narrow victory over Henry Sibley for the Metro East title. Sibley sophomore Magnus Herschbach took the individual title but STA had sophomore Padon Kinzley and junior Teddy Lawder right behind in second and third. Tartan junior Matt Krummel was fourth followed by Mahtomedi senior Ethan Barr in fifth. STA used a 49 second split to average 17:36 in the six point win. 

GIRLS TEAM CHAMP: HENRY SIBLEY | INDIVIDUAL CHAMP: Linnea Urban, Hastings, 20:00.2

RECAP: Henry Sibley took the Metro East title on a sixth runner, tie-breaker over Mahtomedi with both teams finishing with 39 points. The teams were only a second apart on team average and Sibley was just 12 seconds ahead on split times. Hastings junior Linnea Urban was the individual champ with a 22 second win over Mahtomedi sophomore Makayla Fischer. South Saint Paul senior Amanda Kelly was third followed by Sibley sophomore Nicole Gonsalez and Tartan sophomore Arlie Kapaun rounding out the top five.