Boyceville runners making improvements

By Kelsie Hoitomt

BOYCEVILLE – Boyceville cross country is continuing to make improvements for both the boys’ and the girls’ teams.

The runners traveled to Rice Lake on Tuesday, September 11 for an invitational that hosted a total of 16 schools. They then headed to Osceola on Saturday for an invitational featuring 12 other schools.

Rice Lake race
The boys’ team ran an even race as their top seven runners finished in eighth place out of 16. Leading the team was Tanner Johnson-Hetchler who finished 13th out of 127 runners with a time of 18:47.3. Also in the top 30 was Nick Adams in 29th place with a 19:29.3.

Following for the rest of the Bulldogs were Ian Kane in 51st (20:29.6), James Lindo in 56th (20:41.9), Mitchell Pustol in 63rd (21:01.6), Tristan Debell in 92nd (22:59.7) and Tyler Wolfe in 96th (23:22.0).

“Tanner finishing 13th place is very respectable among this competition and James fourth place finish was his personal best time,” shared coach Corey Day.

The first place runner was Henry Klein of St. Croix Falls with a 17:08.2.

Unfortunately there were not enough girls to compete as a team for the Bulldogs, but there were four individual runners who raced.

Michaella Kegan placed 34th (25:10.3), Alex Wold in 40th (25:34.4), Katelyn Merten in 48th (26:25.4) and Katie Kegan in 61st (27:02.2).

The Boyceville Middle School kicked off their season in Rice Lake with the boys’ team finishing in 11th and the girls’ team finishing in 10th place out of 12 teams.

Maxwell Engle was the first Bulldog to finish for the boys’ team in 16th place with a 14:00.1. Following were Kenny Mayer in 31st (14:41.4), Kiel Anderson in 53rd (15:37.4), Reyse Klatt in 75th (16:50.1) and Emmett Kapsner and Sean Best both with a 20:58.1 for 107th and 108th place.
Placing for the girls’ were Marissa Dormanen in 33rd (15:39.1), Erica Sempf in 68th (17:45.6), Sarah Kapsner in 70th (17:48.9), Caitlin Poeschel in 71st (17:52.2), Mariah Drury in 76th (18:15.4) and Abby Kegan in 90th (20:09.6).

There were 121 middle school boys and 120 middle school girls that competed.

Osceola Outcome

“All the boys and girls had season best times. As a coach you cannot ask for anymore than that,” shared coach Corey Day of the outcome of the invitational at Osceola on Saturday, September 15.

Overall the boys’ team placed seventh out of 13 teams. The girls’ did not have enough runners to participate as a team, but individually ran very well. According to coach Day, one girl has tendonitis and another has a hip flexor strain.

Tanner Johnson-Hetchler finished in 11th place out of 149 runners with a time of 17:57. Also finishing in the top 30 was Nick Adams in 21st with a 18:29 and Ian Kane was close in 31st with a 18:47. Finishing for the rest of the team was Mitchell Pustol in 51st (19:24), James Lindo in 60th (19:52), Tyler Wolfe in 94th (21:03), Tristan Debell in 107th (21:32), Peter Duerst in 146th (26:16), Logan Horstman in 147th (27:44) and Alec Shaefer in 148th (28:17).
First place went to Jacob Ohnstad of Granstburg with a 16:31.

Individually for the girl’s, Michaella Kegan led in 60th place for the 4K race with a 18:26. Following her were Alex Wold in 83rd (19:12), Anna Jenkins in 87th (19:22) and Katie Kegan in 90th (19:34).

The Junior High girls finished last, but they had enough runners to participate as a team. Marissa Dormanen led the team in 31st place out of 127 runners with a 12:55. Following were Sarah Kaspner in 48th (13:43), Caitlin Poeshcel in 59th (14:07), Mariah Drury in 95th (16:02) and Amber Retzloff in 110th (16:59).

The Boyceville cross country team competed at the Mondovi invitational on Tuesday, September 18 and will travel to Durand on Thursday.