EM runners compete in Bloomer, Fall Creek

The Elk Mound cross country teams ran in weather somewhat more bearable then in their earlier meets as they traveled to Bloomer Sept. 10, resulting in a fourth place finish for the boys and sixth for the girls. With temperatures almost idea, the Mounders competed Sept. 14 at the Knudtson Invite in Fall Creek and  both teams finished seventh in the meet.

Bloomer

Ben Holzwarth led the Mounder boys as he cut 20 seconds off his own school record, placing second just five seconds behind Clint Heinze of Bloomer. Holzwarth came in at 17:33 and was followed by Justin Fedie who finished in the top ten for ninth place at 19:24. Also finishing under 20 minutes was Lucas Winter in 12th at 19:34, and Caleb Kruger was just over a minute behind for 20th place at 20:38. Hayden Kohls earned the final team points, placing 26th at 22:09 and Drew Sternecker was 31st at 23:29 while Josh Hall placed 34th at 24.49 and Jon Baggs was 68th, in at 31:42. There were 69 individual runners in the competition and five complete teams.

The girls were led by two freshmen who placed in the top 10 of 69 runners. Elizabeth Fasbender cruised in for fifth place at 17:21 while teammate Kami King was ninth at 17:45. Running together, three Mounder girls finished 36th, 37th and 38th including Waive Melgaard in 20:16.53, Nevada LaPointe at 20:16:82 and Sam Jain 20:18. Corrine Zimmer crossed the line in 43rd at 21:09, Sarah Winchester followed in 48th at 22:19, Elayna Gutsch was on her heels in 49th at 22:22, Danae Sternecker was close behind in 52nd at 22:42 and Kassandra Jain finished 68th at 29:49.With 69 individuals in the race, Cora Bruxvoort of Bloomer took first with a time of 15:46.

“We had a ton of personal best times,” Elk Mound coach Jeremiah Fredrickson said. “I couldn’t be happier with where our team is and where we are headed. If things keep going right, this will be our best season since the program began.”

BOYS TEAM SCORES: Chetek-Weyerhaeuser 38, Hayward 63, Bloomer 68, Elk Mound 69, Cadott 120

GIRLS TEAM SCORES: Fall Creek 48, Bloomer 52, Hayward 90, Cornell/Lake Holcombe 102, Cadott 112, Elk Mound 119, Chetek-Weyerhaeuser 153, Cumberland 240

Knudtson Invite

With 10 full teams and 74 individuals in the varsity boys division, Holzwarth finished fourth for the Mounders at 17:43 as Darin Lau of Immanuel Lutheran won the race at 16:48. Following Holzwarth was Kruger in 19th at 19:45, Winter in 23rd at 19:54, Kohls finished 50th at 22:24, Sternecker was 61st in at 23:48 and Hall came in 63rd place at 25:04.

There were 12 full teams in the girls race with 74 individual competitors. Fasbender cracked the top ten again, placing ninth at 17:37 while King cruised in at 18:46 for 27th place. Melgaard followed in 44th place at 20:10 and LaPointe kept up with her again finishing a second behind at 20:11 and 45th place. Solem finished in 55th place at 20:56, Sam Jain was on her heels in 56th at 20:59 and Zimmer was 60th at 21:45.