Perham Boys Win Another Section 8A Title

By John George | www.lakesareasports.com  - Bagley, MN

The boys cross country team will go to State for the 10th straight year after winning the Section 8A title on Friday in Bagley. (John George photo)

The No. 2 ranked Perham boys cross country team extended the team’s State Meet appearance to 10 with another Section 8A Championship.  The Jackets had what head coach Jeff Morris called one of the team’s best performances ever.  They placed all 7 runners in the top-14 (All Section), and all 5 scoring runners among the top-9 of the team participants, to win the title with 26 points.

“They were awesome,” Morris said.  “They all ran so well.”

D-G-F qualified for their 1^st ever trip to State by finishing as the runner-up at the 8A Meet with a score of 66.  Staples-Motley was a distant 3^rd with 118.

Bryon Schuldt of Nevis was the 8A individual champion, finishing with a time of 16:06.

Perham’s Brady Speicher was the overall runner-up, and 1^st among team runners with a time of 16:19.  Surprising even himself was Jayden Cullen, who was the team’s 2^nd runner in 4^th overall (3^rd team) in 16:46.

Perham’s next two runners battled each other at the finish line.  Dalton Dahms (7^th overall, 6^th team) barely passed Billy Beseman (8^th overall, 7^th team) at the very end, finishing in 16:59.55, compared to Beseman’s 17:00.08.  Rounding out the scoring runners was Nick Carignan in 10^th overall (9^th team) in 17:11.

Also earning All Section honors, even though they didn’t score, were Chris Knutson (12^th overall, 11^th team—17:37), andMark Huebsch (14^th overall, 13^th team—17:41).

The State Cross Country Meet will be Saturday, Nov. 5 in Northfield at St. Olaf College.  The Class A Boy’s Race will be at 2 p.m.