Large group of runners conclude cross country careers for Mounders

In just three years of having a program, the Elk Mound cross country program graduates 15 athletes, many of which have competed all three seasons.

Emma Hayes led the girls team all three years, earning All Conference honors as a sophomore with a seventh place finish, as a junior with a fifth place and again as a senior coming in 14th. Her fastest time in a conference meet was 16:53 and for a sectional meet, 16:42, both her sophomore year. She placed 14th in that meet.

Josie Hayes ran three years for the team and had her best conference time as a sophomore in 20:25 and her best sectional time was 20:29, again as a sophomore.

Alex Hagberg tended to keep Josie company on those long runs in her three years, running her best conference and sectional times as a sophomore also, including a 19:43 at the conference meet and 19:18 at the sectional. (Keep in mind all cross country courses are set up different and some are more challenging than others. The conference and sectional meets were both held at Boyceville during the 2010 season).

For the boys, Mitch Zimmer competed three years and earned All Conference honors as a senior with a 13th place finish in 18:28 in Mondovi. He was one of two runners to break the school record as he ran a time of 17:55 at the Eleva-Strum meet this year and although his highest place in a sectional meet came as a junior in 19th place, his best sectional time was his sophomore year at 18:47.

Shawn Lane was just two places short of being named All Conference as a senior, placing 16th with a time of 18:54 which was his best time of three conference meets, and he also improved on his sectional times, clocking an 18:45 for 19th place this year.

Andrew Zabel ran his best conference time as a junior at 18:59 and his best sectional time as a sophomore in 18:26, but his highest place in a sectional meet was 28th his junior year.

Chris Jaenke, another three year competitor, ran a 19:42 conference time as a sophomore and a 20:15 in the sectional meet, again as a sophomore for his best times in those meets.

Seth Kruger ran two years for the team and had his best conference time of 21:16 as a junior and ran in the sectional meet, placing 69th as a junior in 21:31.

Josh Hall ran in the conference meet as a junior and senior, running his fastest time of 22:45 this year.

Dan Bachman also ran in the conference meet two years and finished in 22:14 as a junior.

Hunter Hermes competed in conference two years and also in the sectional as a junior. His best conference time was 22:15 as a junior and he placed 78th at the sectional in 22:05.

Hunter Henning finished 60th at the conference meet this season with a time of 21:53 and ran a 21:41 at the Eleva-Strum meet.

Alec Winter placed 75th in the conference meet as a senior in a time of 23:12 and ran a 23:00 at the Eleva-Strum meet.

Coach Jeremiah Fredrickson commented throughout the season on the progress his team made, not only this year but in the three years of the Elk Mound program.

“This group of kids worked hard and will be remembered for being a part of the beginning of our cross country program here at Elk Mound,” Fredrickson said. “They learned to be resilient, running in extreme heat and in cold, wet conditions. They helped each other out and challenged each other and hopefully the younger kids will learn from them about hard work and sticking with a sport that they can use throughout their lifetime,” he added.