Bulldog harriers race at conference meet; Retz earns all-conference

DURAND — Sam Retz’ off season training regime paid dividends for the Bulldogs’ junior cross country runner.

Retz earned second-team all-conference conference last Thursday, October 15 after finishing ninth at the 2015 Dunn-St. Croix Cross Country meet held at the Rolling Greens Golf Course in Durand.

Retz, the lone Bulldog to earn such distinction this year, help lead the Boyceville boys to a fifth-place showing in the eight-team event. The girls’ team came in sixth.

The boys accumulated 111 points to finish just two points behind fourth place and host Durand. Meanwhile the girls tallied 156 points just three more than fifth-place Durand and three better than Spring Valley.

Despite a cold wind at times during the race, Retz finished the hilly, 5,000 meter course in 19:32. 27.

Rian Corr and Maxwell Engel were the Bulldogs’ second and third runners across the line. Corr, just a sophomore, ran a 20:04.92 to place 17th and Engel finished 22nd in 20:29.16.

Jerod Nelson was the fourth Boyceville runner in and finished in 20:43.05. Kiel Anderson was 36th after turning in a time of 21:08.64.

Conspicuously absent on the results sheets was Jack Kapsner. Usually the Bulldogs boys’ number three or four runners, Kapsner was sidelined last week after suffering a broken collarbone.

Boyceville’s four other competitors (and placements) were: Michael Chich, 54th, 22:53.23; Emmett Kapsner, 62nd, 24:45. 03; Mark Timper, 66th, 27:47.83; and Brennan Wheeldon, 67th, 31:25.46.

“The boys have been plagued with injury,” noted Corey Day, Boyceville head coach. “It hurt not having Jack Kapsner for conference but I thought the rest of the team really stepped up and ran as well as they could.”

“Sam earned second-team honors, Rian Corr worked hard all summer too and it shows in his confidence in each race and Kiel Anderson returned from foot surgery at the beginning of the season to run in the fifth spot,” Day said.

Day felt his girls’ team also ran well led by Shiann Wagner, a first-team, all-conference runner from a year ago.

Although Wagner was not able to repeat on the first team last week, she did earn honorable mention with a 20th place finish after running a 23:19.08 on the Rolling Greens’ course.

Marissa Dormanen and Lauren Dominick were the Bulldogs’ second and third runners. Dormanen placed 25th in 24:12.57 and Dominick was 27th after finishing in 24:28.84.

Emma Harnisch was Boyceville’s number four as she came in 38th in 25:29.67 and Sarah Kapsner rounded out the girls’ varsity five with a time of 33:20.84 to place 63rd.

“I thought the girls raced well,” stated Day. “Shiann missed several races in the beginning of the season and that hurt her.”

In the middle school race, the Boyceville boys placed third led by the second-place finish of Nathan Corr. He ran the 3,200 m course in 12:34.03.

The Bulldogs will once again host the WIAA Division 3 Cross Country sectional this year. The meet will be held this Saturday morning, October 24 at Tiffany Creek Elementary with a start time of 11 a.m.

TEAM RESULTS

BOYS: 1. Colfax, 38; 2. Glenwood City, 89; 3. Spring Valley, 98; 4. Durand, 109; 5. Boyceville, 111; 6. Elk Mound, 127; 7. Mondovi, 162; 8. Elmwood/Plum City, 179.

GIRLS: 1. Colfax, 29; 2. Glenwood City, 82; 3. Elmwood/Plum City, 83; 4. Elk Mound, 85; 5. Durand, 153; 6. Boyceville, 156; 7. Spring Valley, 158; 8. Mondovi, 163.