Clare Flanagan (junior, Blake School) winning the meet by a record margin of 1:20 and Minnehaha Academy winning the guys portion of the meet was expected at the Tri Metro Conference Preview meet run on Friday, August 31st at Battle Creek Regional Park in St. Paul.
No one but the St. Paul Academy & Summit (SPA) team believed they could win the Conference season opener and that is exactly what they did in convincing fashion. This should have come as no surprise as the SPA 4 x 800 relay time dominated last track season, including earning a visit to the State meet. SPA was led by sophomore Mary Naas finishing second with a time of 15:47 (a track State qualifier last season in the 3200). An excellent time considering the heat and somewhat overshadowed by Flanagan's performance of 14:27. Flanagan's performance showed why she is ranked 17th in the country by Milesplit (one of two Minnesotans in the national poll and the top Minnesotan). Naas finished 37 seconds ahead of Minnehaha Academy's Nicole Nipper (a state qualifier in the 1600 last season).
SPA scored 66 (2,5,11, 15, and 33) over Minnehaha Academy 73 (3,10,13,19, and 28) and The Blake School 77 (1, 6, 12, 14, and 44). The SPA scoring team also included Ellen McCarthy (sophomore), Lily Rogers-Grant (senior), Ellen Swenson (senior), Alicia Zhang (junior), Hallie Sogin (freshman), and Melanie Luikart (senior). The individual podium starting at fourth place included Claire Drysdale (Breck), Ellen McCarthy (sophomore, SPA), Carolyn Nye (freshman, Blake), Adria Duncan (senior, Breck), Marta Seitz (junior, Visitation), Jenny Walz (junior, Providence Academy), and Casey Haffield (senior, Minnehaha Academy).
Boys Race
On the guys side Minnehaha Academy showed why they are a serious contender for the State team title this season. Minnehaha easily won with a score of 33 (1,2,7,10,13,15, and 16) over The Blake School (4,5,9,24,25,27, and 41).
At the mile mark, Michael Destache of SPA had a 20 yard lead over the main pack of about ten runners. The pack conservatively ran through the mile in a time of 5:30 (the mile mark is half way up the large hill the runners run twice). In the end, Ethan Wagner (junior, Minnehaha Academy and 3200 State qualifier last track season) won in relatively easy fashion with a time of 16:18. Second place went to Jacob Eggers (senior, Minnehaha Academy) with a time of 16:37, an impressive showing for one of the State's top 800 runners (fourth place in the 800 and the anchor runner from the third place 4 x 800 team at State last year). The remainder of the individual podium starting at third place included Michael Destache (sophomore, SPA), Zach Edinburgh (senior, Blake), Quinn Coyle (junior, Blake), Nicholas Lawson (sophomore, St. Anthony Village), Mark Line (senior, Minnehaha), JP Flanders (junior, Providence), Michael Mitchell (8th, Blake), and Mike Ferris (junior, Minnehaha).
The remaining scorers from the Minnehaha team included Mark Lind (senior), Mike Ferris (junior), Drew Hanson (sophomore), Zach Newton (sophomore), and senior Luke Brown (he was not in the top ten at this meet, however if he stays injury free this season he is a contender for a podium finish at the State Meet).