Boyceville boys’ and girls’ CC teams put in great races at Durand

By Cara L. Dempski

DURAND — Boyceville’s head cross country coach, Corey Day, seems impressed with how well his girls’ team is running this season.

Despite temperatures that soared into the 90s and having just five girls compete on the team, the Lady Bulldogs ended up seventh out of 13 teams at the September 21 Durand Invitational.

“It (the Durand race) was a great team effort,” he said. “Unfortunately, I only have five, so if someone is sick or injured, it gets difficult; but, I would take these five girls on my team any day. They will run sick or dinged up so they can have a team. Their determination and sacrifice for each other makes it fun to coach.”

The girls’ team scored just 199 points, while the boys’ took 11th out of 16 with 289 points. Going in, Day’s goal for the girls was for Emily Voelker and Naomi Hillman to finish in the top 30 against a strong field.

Voelker, a senior, led the Lady Bulldogs home with a time of 23:54.8 for 18th place, and the sophomore Hillman was just under one second behind her to take 19th with a time of 23:55.7. Lauryn Dominick finished in 25:47.5 for 51st overall.

Marissa Dormanen finished in 71st after running a 26:52.3 race, and Noelle Wheeldon completed the team with a time of 27:18.7 for 82nd.

Elmwood/Plum City runner Kassye Todd copped the individual race win with a time of 20:51.2, but the ladies from LaCrosse Aquinas took the team win after earning 89 points.

A freshman and a sophomore led the boys’ team across the finish line, with ninth-grader Nathan Corr finishing in 36th with a 20:03.5 race and 10th-grade runner Steven Rasmussen finishing in 20:05.9 for 38th. Senior Rian Corr struggled with the heat, according to Day, but has done an excellent job leading the young team in his final season.

The elder Corr finished in 69th after running a 21:16.3 race.

Cade Klefstad was 79th after a 21:47.4 finish, and Nathaniel and Samuel Chich continued their on-course rivalry by finishing 106th (Nathaniel) and 108th (Samuel) after being split up by Ryker Ferg in 107th.

“The Chich brothers keep outdoing each other in the fifth, sixth and seventh spot on our team,” Day said. “They are twins with two different running styles and two different body types. Samuel is shorter and has a strong work ethic, and Nathaniel is tall and laid back, but the one thing they have in common: when it comes to race day, no love is lost, these two will compete against each other.”

Nathaniel came out on top in the Durand race with a time of 23:01.6, while Ferg finished in 23:06.0 to split the two brothers up, leaving Samuel to finish with a time of 23:09.6.

Emmett Kapsner, Justin Lombardo, and Casey Owen also competed at the Durand Invitational.

Dan Lau of Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran High School won the boys’ race in 17:15.0, and the LaCrosse Central boys’ took the team win after earning just 33 points.

The Bulldogs competed at the September 25 meet at the Whitetail Golf Club in Colfax, and will be at Spring Valley September 28. Boyceville will then have a few days off before heading to Amery October 3.

GIRLS’ INDIVIDUAL RESULTS: 18. Emily Voelker 23:54.8, 19. Naomi Hillman 23:55.7, 51. Lauryn Dominick, 71. Marissa Dormanen 26:52.3, 82. Noelle Wheeldon 27:18.7.

GIRLS’ TEAM RESULTS: 1. LaCrosse Aquinas 85, 2. Prescott 85, 3. Ellsworth 107, 4. Elk Mound 152, 5. Altoona 157, 6. Independence/Gilmanton 195, 7. Boyceville 199, 8. Luther 207, 9. Fall Creek 216, 10. Durand 224, 11. Blair-Taylor 232, 12. Brookwood 264, 13. Osseo-Fairchild 274.

BOYS’ INDIVIDUAL RESULTS: 36. Nathan Corr 20:03.5, 38. Steven Rasmussen 20:05.9, 69. Rian Corr 21:16.3, 79. Cade Klefstad 21:47.4, 106. Nathaniel Chich 23:01.6, 107. Ryker Ferg 23:06.0, 108. Samuel Chich 23:09.6, 137. Emmett Kapsner 25:07.4, 165. Justin Lombardo 28:24.5, 176. Casey Owen 32:22.3.

BOYS’ TEAM RESULTS: 1. LaCrosse Central 33, 2. Durand 50, 3. Elk Mound 111, 4. EC Immanuel 116, 5. LaCrosse Aquinas 158, 6. Ellsworth 197, 7. Prescott 197, 8. Altoona 211, 9. Blair-Taylor 262, 10. Luther 278, 11. Boyceville 289, 12. Fall Creek 292, 13. Brookwood 299, 14. Osseo-Fairchild 356, 15. Cadott 361, 16. Mondovi 464.