Lady Bulldogs claim first-ever sectional cross country championship and state trip
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LADY BULLDOGS CLAIM SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP — A week after repeating as the Dunn-St. Croix Champions, the Boyceville girls’ cross country team won its first-ever WIAA sectional crown and state berth by winning the WIAA Division 3 sectional meet which was held Saturday, October 26 at the Whispering Pines Golf Course in Cadott. The Bulldogs placed first with 57 points which was 39 points less than sectional runner-up Prairie Farm. Both squads will run in the state championship slated for Noon this Saturday, November 2 in Wisconsin Rapids. Members of Boyceville sectional championship team are pictured above. From left to right are: Layla Score, Ashlyn Maska, Ellie Engeman, Blake Jeske, Halle Tonn, Brooklyn Talmage, Sydney Larson, Lydia Day and Ashley Prestrud.
—photo by Shawn DeWitt
by Renee Bettendorf
Sports Correspondent
CADOTT — For the first time in nearly twenty years, Boyceville is sending a pack of Bulldogs to the state cross country meet.
In 2004 and 2005, the boys’ team made it to state, but this is the first girls’ team in Boyceville school history to make it there after it claimed the WIAA Division 3 cross country sectional championship at Cadott’s Whispering Pines Golf Course on Saturday afternoon, October 26.
Their performance has coaches, fans, local media and community members pretty excited.
“I ran to the finish line and all the girls were full of elation. They knew they had done their job and punched their ticket to state. This group is close and that is their strength. They ran for each other and their strength was the key to success Saturday,” said cross country coach Corey Day.
The girls were interviewed and featured on WQOW channel 18 news. Additionally, after the race several of the girls went to Buckshots in Boyceville for dinner with their families. Tilly, the owner of Buckshots, had the girls stand up while everyone in the establishment cheered for their success.
One key person who was not able to be at the race in person was head cross country coach Jacob Peterson. The team had him on Facetime and also as giant printed headshots on poster boards.
BOYCEVILLE cross country runners Brooklyn Talmage (front) and Ellie Engeman (back) prepared to take a turn during the girls’ sectional race held Saturday, October 26 at Whispering Pines Golf Course near Cadott. Talmage placed 15th and Engeman was 24th.
—photo by Shawn DeWitt
“Going into the season, I knew that I would not be able to make the sectional meet due to my brothers’ wedding. But I had full trust in our coaching staff and athletes that they would perform their best,” said Peterson. “It was very difficult not being at the sectional meet. However, the teams had great support from family, friends, and other community members that came out to support them during the race.”
And perform they did, the team scored just 57 points, nearly 40 points less than Prairie Farm which was the second place team. Barron, Durand, Eau Claire Regis, Fall Creek, Stanley-Boyd, Chippewa Falls McDonell Central, Cadott, Augusta and Spring Valley all succumbed to the Bulldogs’ wrath.
THE TOP TWO finishers for the Boyceville boys at last Saturday’s WIAA Division 3 cross country sectional meet in Cadott were senior Michael Montgomery (left) and junior Isaac Williams (right). Montgomery finished 39th with a time of 18:55 while Williams placed 41st in 18:58. —photo by Shawn DeWitt
“The girls were full of anticipation. They knew they were prepared, having run this summer and being consistent in practice,” said Day.
They were indeed consistent, with freshman Blake Jeske placing sixth out of 98 runners, leading the team and breaking yet another school record. On October 12 Jeske broke a school record with a time of 20:43.87. She then broke her own record at the D-SC Conference meet on October 17 with a time of 20:40.38. She again broke her own record at the sectional meet with a time of 20:18.6.
The rest of the team also ran really well and placed highly. They were: Ashlyn Maska who placed 12th, Brooklyn Talmage who placed 15th, Halle Tonn who placed 20th and Ellie Engeman who placed 24th. All of them ran the race in less than 22 minutes 30 seconds.
According to Day, the race had a fast start which caused some runners to struggle. But by the two mile mark they were in good shape.
“Runners suffered from the fast start. Having side aches by the mile, I was pretty nervous for them. Our top four were close to where I expected by the two mile,” said Day.
It was the fifth runner who made it apparent to Day that the girls were headed to state.
“Ellie Engeman pushed through the side aching and surged the last mile. She was the first fifth runner to finish out of all the teams and I was confident the Boyceville girls were going to state for the first time in school history,” said Day.
The girls state will take place at high noon this Saturday, November 2 at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
ANOTHER RECORD-SETTING PERFORMANCE — Bulldog freshman Blake Jeske broke her own school record when she ran a 20:18.6 at the WIAA Division 3 sectional cross country meet which was held Saturday, October 26 in Cadott. Jeske finished fourth as the Boyceville girls’ won their first-ever sectional championship and qualified for the state meet this Saturday in Wisconsin Rapids.
—photo by Shawn DeWitt
Boyceville Boys
“Leading up to the sectional race, the girls’ team had a goal to punch a ticket to the state meet and the boys had a goal of being in the top ten,” said Peterson. “The athletes were focused on their goals, ran tough and both goals were met.”
The boys’ team accomplished their goal and placed tenth out of 16 teams with 274 points. Rib Lake/Prentice won with a score of 53 while Phillips took second with a score of 58. The Boyceville boys beat Mondovi, Fall Creek, Prairie Farm, Spring Valley, Augusta and Barron.
Coming in first for the boys ‘team was senior Michael Montgomery with a time of 18:55 he placed 39th out of 131 runners. Gavin Esterholm of Phillips won the race with a time of 16:19.
Juniors Isaac Williams and Forest Bettendorf were the second and third runners placing 41st and 56th with times of 18:58.1 and 19:28.2. The fourth runner for the team was sophomore Nicholas Keely who placed 79th with a time of 20:31.2. The fifth runner was freshman Riley Naughton who placed 86th with a time of 20:56.5.
BOYCEVILLE sophomore Lyla Score is shown competing in the WIAA Division 3 girls’ cross country sectional race held in Cadott on Saturday, October 26. Score finished 75th in a time of 25:01.5.
—photo by Shawn DeWitt
“The boys field was as competitive as any field I have seen in 17 years of coaching. Our boys ran hard and had great times. With the field, we did not place high, but I was pleased with the performance. Congratulations to our boys as they worked hard and had their season end Saturday,” said Day.
“I was very pleased on how the boys wrapped up their season, running tough in a competitive field. I’m excited to see how the girls race at The Ridges next weekend, against the top D3 teams in the state,” said Peterson.
Boyceville Girls’ Results
6. Blake Jeske, 20:18.6; 12. Ashlyn Maska, 21:26.7; 15. Brooklyn Talmage, 21:40.9; 20. Halle Tonn, 22:05; 24. Ellie Engeman, 22:17.2; 59. Sydney Larson, 24:11.6; 75. Layla Score, 25:01.5.
Boyceville Boys’ Results
39. Michael Montgomery, 18:55; 41. Isaac Williams, 18:58.1; 56. Forest Bettendorf, 19:28.2; 79. Nicholas Keely, 20:31.2; 86. Riley Naughton, 20:56.5; 99. Bryce Humpal, 21:41.3; 113. Dominic Anderson, 23:03.7.