WISCONSIN STATE MEET

Onalaska Boys Pull Off First State Title Thanks To Fifth Scorer

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Onalaska is not a new high school. It's been there since 1890. And among Division 1 schools in Wisconsin, it's one of the smallest. 

But on Saturday at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids, Onalaska won its first state championship in boys cross country thanks to a freshman who led the way and a fifth runner -- sophomore Blake Burnstad -- who was way ahead of everybody else's fifth. 

Onalaska scored 89 points to knock off Homestead (94) and rallied from second to first after the second mile. Burnstad scored 29 points and Homestead's fifth tacked on 62. 

The state meet in Wisconsin saw two halves of the state knit back together for the first fully participated cross country final since 2019. 

Onalaska, located on the western side of Wisconsin, was led by freshman Manny Putz's seventh-place finish.

Austin Henderson of Neenah won the boys race in 15:40.5.

Middleton's girls, led by Lauren Pansegrau's brilliance up front, won the girls title with 61 points. Pansegrau, a Michigan recruit, won the Alternate Season cross country title in May. Her winning time of 17:44.7 put her to the finish line 31 seconds ahead of her nearest competition. Middleton also had Zaira Malloy-Salgado in fourth. 

Shorewood nearly swept the team titles at the Division 2 level. The boys won with 54 points and the girls came up one point short against Dodgeville/Mineral Point, 88-89. 

Nathan Cumberbatch from Shorewood led that charge for his team with an individual win in 16:06.4. 

Kayci Martensen from Southwestern/Benton/Cuba City took the girls victory in 18:10.0, second-fastest on the day behind Pansegrau.

The fastest performance of the day came from Shane Griepentrog in 15:38.6 as he won the D3 boys race to lead Valders to the team title. Valders' 78 points edged out Grantsburg (85). 

The Boscobel girls won handily with 71 points, with freshman Nora Jillson leading the effort with a sixth-place finish. Elsie Kmecak from Catholic Central won the race in 19:47.7.

Team Champions - 

Division 1 - Onalaska boys 89 points, Middleton girls 61 points - RESULTS

Division 2 - Shorewood boys 54 points, Dodgeville/Mineral Point girls 88 points - RESULTS

Division 3 - Valders boys 78 points, Boscobel girls 71 points - RESULTS