Edina prevails on sixth-runner tiebreaker after teams finish even at 48 in final matchup with Lake Conference rival Minnetonka, Robbinsdale Armstrong holds off Eden Prairie by a 49-50 margin in boys battle; Weaver rolls to 4AA victory

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Several of the top high school cross country teams in Minnesota competed Wednesday at season-ending sectional meets, instead of a state championship, but that didn’t mean the events weren’t lacking drama or thrilling finishes.

Especially at the Section 6AA Championships at Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista, three of the elite girls programs, not only in the state but the entire country, squared off for the final time in one of the most anticipated showdowns of the postseason schedule.

Edina and Minnetonka ended the 5-kilometer race tied at 48, with both teams placing all five scorers in the top 15, and Wayzata finished third with 63 points.

Edina edged Minnetonka on a sixth-runner tiebreaker, as freshman Eleanor Hinkle was 22nd in 19 minutes, 56.40 seconds, ahead of eighth-grader Meredith Gilles in 25th place in 20:05.30.

There was nearly the need for a tiebreaker to decide the winner of the boys race as well, with Robbinsdale Armstrong relying on five scorers in the top 20 to hold off Eden Prairie by a 49-50 margin in the teams’ first meeting this season. Edina took third overall with 97 points.

MINNESOTA SECTIONALS CALENDAR AND RESULTS

Minnetonka sophomore Nick Gilles won the boys individual title, covering the 5-kilometer layout in 16:12.20, with Eden Prairie senior teammates Alex Gutierrez (16:19.20) and Jack Gschwendtner (16:19.30) taking second and third. Robbinsdale Armstrong was led by a fifth-place finish from sophomore Alex Omodt (16:30.80), just behind Wayzata freshman Daniel McCollor (16:29.40).

Wayzata sophomore Abbey Nechanicky won the girls race in 17:31.50, ahead of Minnetonka sophomore Maya Mor (18:05) and Hopkins eighth-grader Sydney Drevlow (18:06).

Edina was led by junior Maggie Wagner (18:46.40) securing fifth, trailing fourth-place finisher Miriam Sandeen of Eden Prairie in 18:45.90.

The Minnesota State High School League voted by a 10-8 margin Oct. 1 not to hold state championship competition this season, an event that was tentatively scheduled for Oct. 24.

Mor petitioned the MSHSL to reconsider the verdict, but the decision wasn’t overturned, resulting in the Edina girls having the final victory in the season series after Minnetonka prevailed in the previous three meetings, including winning by a 52-58 margin Oct. 3 at the Lake Conference championship meet on the same course at Gale Woods Farm.

Section 8AA

Wilmar eighth-grader Erin Eilers won the 5-kilometer girls race Friday at Bemidji High in 18:50.60, but Alexandria placed five scorers in the top 10 to secure a 30-65 victory over the Cardinals.

Alexandria junior Aleah Miller (18:54.20) was the only other female athlete to run under 19 minutes.

Senior Nathan Alto prevailed on his home course in the boys competition Thursday, clocking 16:29.30 to help Bemidji produce five scorers in the top 20 in a 53-64 triumph over Alexandria.

Saint Cloud Apollo senior Sam Brewer (16:44.20) was second and Alexandria senior Jacob Kleven (16:52.30) took third.

Section 7AA

Andover captured both team titles, with Forest Lake Area standouts Daniel Vanacker and Norah Hushagen securing the individual victories Thursday at Princeton Golf Course.

Vanacker, a junior, covered the 5-kilometer course in 16:05.70, but Andover had three athletes among the first five finishers and all five scorers in the top 25 to produce a 45-86 win over Duluth East.

Junior Cameron Heppner (16:18.10) was second, senior Calvin Fiala (16:30.40) took fourth and junior Gabriel Birkmeier (16:32.10) finished fifth for Andover.

Hushagen, only an eighth-grader, turned in a strong performance to prevail in 18:07.50. But Andover followed a similar pattern as the boys competition, placing three runners in the top six and all five scorers among the first 15 finishers to knock off Duluth East by a 40-65 margin.

Seniors Claire Beckman (18:57.10) and Alyssa Gerth (19:14.30) were second and third, with another senior Brekkynn Lammert (19:22.30) securing sixth for Andover.

Section 5AA

Saint Michael-Albertville junior Ali Weimer and Mounds View sophomore Elliott McArthur both earned individual wins and led their respective teams to victories Thursday at Anoka High.

Weimer covered the 5-kilometer course in 17:58, winning by 55 seconds and leading six Saint Michael-Albertville athletes in the top 25 to prevail against Mounds View by a 54-65 margin.

Champlin Park eighth-grader Abby Hibbs (18:53) and Osseo junior Lex Davis (18:58) were the only other female athletes to run under 19 minutes.

McArthur clocked 16:19 to hold off Maple Grove eighth-grader Gannon Farrens (16:23), as Mounds View had three athletes finish in the top six to cruise to a 68-127 victory. Senior Matthew Miller (16:29) and junior William Skelly (16:33) were fifth and sixth for Mounds View. 

Section 4AA

Stillwater Area senior Analee Weaver dominated the 5-kilometer girls race at Highland 9 Golf Course in St. Paul Wednesday, clocking 17:39 to win more than a minute.

Junior Molly Moening of St. Paul Highland Park took second in 18:43, leading five scorers – all underclassmen, including two eighth-graders – in the top 10 to achieve a 29-point effort. Runner-up White Bear Lake had 58 points and Weaver led Stillwater Area to a 69-point performance and third place.

Senior Ethan Vargas secured an individual sweep for Stillwater Area by prevailing in 16:09, helping the Ponies place five scorers in the top 13 to produce a 31-66 victory over White Bear Lake. Roseville Area, led by runner-up Joseph Lee (16:12), took third with 82 points.

Section 3AA

Prior Lake swept the team titles Thursday at Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley, with senior Gabe Smit being credited with the boys individual championship ahead of Rosemount senior Brennen Peterson, as both athletes were timed in 16:02.5 on the 5-kilometer layout.

Smit led four Prior Lake scorers in the top five, with two more Lakers finishing in the top 15 to earn a 26-41 victory over Rosemount, which had six athletes in the top 20. Freshman Hootie Hage (16:16.1), senior Magnus O'Connor (16:16.2) and senior Kyle Nordling (16:19.9) finished third, fourth and fifth for Prior Lake. 

East Ridge senior Lillian Warmuth prevailed in the girls race in 18:31.1, but Prior Lake had five underclassmen in the top 25 – all seventh- and eighth-graders – to defeat Rosemount by a 58-78 margin.

Seventh-graders Sara Gastony (19:02.9) and Isabelle Reinders (19:18.9) were third and fourth for Prior Lake, trailing Warmuth and Burnsville junior Zoie Dundon (18:58.6).

Section 2AA

Mankato East senior Andrew Johnson earned the individual win Tuesday at Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista, covering the 5-kilometer layout in 16:16.60.

Buffalo had five scorers in the top 15, led by third-place finisher Jared Gregoire (16:38.70), to produce a convincing 45-118 victory over Chanhassen, which had a runner-up performance from senior Benjamin Scheller (16:35).

Chanhassen junior Isabella Roemer won the girls race in 18:39, helping the Storm secure second place with 74 points.

Waconia won the team title with 48 points, placing five scorers in the top 25, including runner-up Adorisa Kaeding (19:05).

Section 1AA

Sisters Anna Fenske and Mariah Fenske helped Farmington place five scorers in the top 11 to secure a 30-48 victory Thursday over Lakeville South at Brooktree Golf Course in Owatonna.

Anna Fenske, a senior, remained unbeaten this season by covering the 5-kilometer course in 17:35.04 to earn her ninth victory. Mariah Fenske, a freshman, ran 18:27.07 to finish in front of Lakeville South eighth-grader Claire Vukovics (18:32.85).

Senior Seth Hill of Rochester Century won the boys individual title in 16:24.07, but Lakeville South placed five athletes in the top 20 to hold off the Panthers by a 51-57 margin.

Farmington senior Robbie Spain (16:26.34) secured second and Lakeville South junior Matthew Whittaker (16:28.89) took third.

Section 8A

Perham had a 12-second spread among its top five scorers in the 5-kilometer girls race Wednesday at Twin Pines Golf Course in Bagley, benefitting from the small compression to hold off Hawley by a 56-69 score.

Nevis sophomore Jade Rypkema won the individual title in 19:15.70, with Menahga eighth-grader Anjalie Aho (19:22.60) the only other female competitor to run under 20 minutes.

In the boys competition Tuesday at the same venue, it was a split decision involving East Grand Forks and Perham.

East Grand Forks senior Tyson Mahar captured the individual championship in 16:26.90, edging Perham junior Jacob McCleary (16:27.70) for the crown.

McCleary led five scorers in the top 20, as Perham earned an impressive 50-87 victory over East Grand Forks.

Section 7A

Senior Geno Uhrbom was impressive in his 5-kilometer victory Tuesday in 15:58.70 at Cloquet Country Club, but it wasn’t enough for Greenway to get past Pequot Lakes, which had five scorers in the top 25 to hold on for a 67-71 victory.

In the girls competition Monday at the same venue, Pequot Lakes swept the individual and team titles, with freshman Calia Chaney clocking 18:48.60 to win by more than 50 seconds and propel the Patriots to a 101-105 triumph over Proctor.

Section 6A

Staples-Motley swept both team titles, with the girls placing five scorers in the top 15 in Thursday’s final at Little Crow Golf Course in Spicer to produce a 37-83 victory over West Central.

West Central junior Lexi Bright prevailed in the 5-kilometer competition in 19:10.25, ahead of Long Prairie-Grey Eagle freshman Caroline Kuehne (19:14.43). Staples-Motley freshman Kyanna Burton (19:15.71) and sophomore Aften Robinson (19:28.01) took third and fourth.

Staples-Motley senior Emmet Anderson won the boys 5-kilometer race Tuesday at Long Prairie Country Club in 15:51.08, also leading five athletes in the top 15, as the Cardinals edged West Central 38-40.

Junior Kade Runge (16:55.36) and senior Kyle Schill (16:56.62) finished second and third for West Central.

Section 5A

For the second time during sectional competition, a girls team championship was decided by a sixth-runner tiebreaker, after Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted and Saint Cloud Cathedral finished even at 81 on Friday at Spring Brook Golf Course in Mora.

Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted earned the final advantage after junior Alexis Tepley placed 48th in 22:28.30, ahead of Saint Cloud Cathedral sophomore Priya Nacey finishing 83rd in 23:39.20.

Lester Prairie eighth-grader Addison Hoof prevailed in 19:41.70, ahead of Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted freshman Maddie LeSage (19:43.20) in second.

Annandale swept the individual and team titles in the boys competition Thursday, with eighth-grader Salvador Wirth clocking 17:03.10 to lead five scorers in the top 20 in a 47-63 victory over Saint Cloud Cathedral, which had juniors Turner Schad (17:33.90) and Alexander Heen (17:48.90) finish third and fourth.

Northwest Home School Cooperative junior Luke Swanson placed second in 17:17.20.

Section 4A

Breck School sophomore Aiden Keller won the 5-kilometer race in 16:27.80, but junior Finn McCormick (16:35.80) led five Nova Classical Academy athletes in the top 10 to roll to a 34-86 victory Tuesday over Minnehaha Academy.

Math and Science Academy sophomore Greta Hansen was the girls individual winner in 20:09.20, with Minnehaha Academy relying on five scorers in the top 20 – including runner-up Molly Dinardo (20:37.10) – to edge Nova Classical Academy by a 55-65 margin.

Section 3A

Sophomore twin sisters Ashley Overgaauw and Amanda Overgaauw led a Murray County Central sweep of the top three spots, but host Luverne placed five scorers in the top 12 to overcome the early deficit to prevail by a 40-49 margin Thursday at Luverne High.

Ashley Overgaauw covered the 5-kilometer course in 18:20.57, edging Amanda Overgaauw (18:20.75), with senior Morgan Gehl (18:44.40) taking third for Murray County Central, which didn't have another athlete place in the top 20. Luverne was led by junior Tenley Nelson finishing fifth in 19:42.94.

Redwood Valley senior Jason Peyerl won the boys 5-kilometer event in 16:45.62, but Lac qui Parle Valley followed with seniors Ezekiel Sather (16:53.81) and Darius Fenske (17:10.57), along with junior Kaiden Allpress (17:46.23) taking the next three spots as the Eagles had all five scorers in the top nine to secure a 24-129 victory over Mountain Lake.

Section 2A

Senior Caleb Rivera prevailed on the 5-kilometer layout Tuesday at Montgomery Golf Course in 16:34.60 to lead Saint James to a 53-120 victory over Glencoe-Silver Lake.

Belle Plaine held off Glencoe-Silver Lake by a 56-70 margin in the girls competition, placing five scorers in the top 20.

Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s junior Claire Fischer won the individual title in 19:56.60.

Section 1A

Zumbrota-Mazeppa sophomore Natasha Sortland achieved victory in the girls 5-kilometer competition Friday at Northern Hills Golf Course in Rochester, clocking 19:08.40, but Cotter Schools had all five scorers in the top 25 to defeat Plainview-Elgin-Millville by a 68-102 margin.

Eighth-grader Sonja Semling (20:23.50) and senior Claire Ebertowski (20:29) finished fifth and sixth to lead Cotter.

Junior Reese Anderson prevailed in the boys race Thursday in 16:30.20, leading Lake City to a 62-88 triumph over Lewiston-Altura, which placed three athletes in the top five.

Rochester Lourdes junior Kevin Turlington placed second in 16:40.50, ahead of Tyler Rislov (16:42.50), Luke O'Hare (16:48.90) and Andrew Hoiness (17:15.60) of Lewiston-Altura.