Lady Hilltoppers’ Cross Country team takes first at Boyceville, boys finish eighth

By Cara L. Dempski

BOYCEVILLE — The Glenwood City girls’ cross country team picked up where it left off last season – with a win to start 2017.

The Hilltopper ladies took top honors as a team at the August 24 Boyceville Cross Country Alumni Invitational meet held at Tiffany Creek Elementary. The girls’ team blasted their competition off the course with just 39 points compared to second-place Cameron’s 70.

The Glenwood City boys’ finished eighth out of 14 teams at the same meet with a tally of 192 points.

The Lady Toppers had five runners place in the top 20 in the girls’ race with their sixth place runner finishing 22nd.

Emily Bethell led the way for the girls with a time of 22:25.9 to take second place overall, and Isabella Williams was sixth with a time of 22:42. Senior Makayla O’Brien finished 13th with her 23:48.8 race, Gabriella Moede raced across the line in 24:00.2 to take 15th, and Megan Speiser took 18th with a time of 24:04.1.

Elizabeth Wink and Myah Eliason rounded out the team’s scored runners. Wink took 22nd with a time of 24:18.2, and Eliason ran a 25:06.4 in her debut race to take 36th.

Hanna Strehlo, Annika Bauman and Emma Scholler also competed in the team’s first race.

While the Glenwood City girls’ took top team honors, Elmwood/Plum City senior Kassye Todd won the individual race with a time of 22:08.3.

Jacob Nadeau led the Hilltopper boys’ to the finish line, placing 11th with a 19:14.9 race. Sophomore Jabin Hojem was nearly a minute behind him, finishing in 20:04.5 for 28th place. Matthew Bauman took 47th for his 20:56.5 race, Lane O’Meara was 67th after crossing the finish line in 21:46.5. Matthew O’Brien was the fifth boys’ runner to finish, taking 74th for his 21:58.3 race.

Bradley Kessler earned 81st with his 22:34.9 race, Elijah Simmons crossed the line in 22:44.5 for 83rd. Henry Wallin and Kyle Myers completed the boys’ team racing at Boyceville.

Top team and individual race honors went to Durand, who saw five of its boys’ team members finish in the top 10 including the first three spots. Panthers’ senior Wesley Brantner won the overall race with a time of 17:51.5.

The Hilltoppers will race this Thursday, August 31 at St. Croix Central. The teams will then take a break until September 12, when they are scheduled to run at Rice Lake.

GIRLS’ INDIVIDUAL RESULTS: 2. Emily Bethell 22:25.9, 6. Isabella Williams 22:42, 13. Makayla O’Brien 23:48.8, 15. Gabby Moede 24:00.2, 18. Megan Speiser 24:04.1, 22. Elizabeth Wink 24:18.2, 36. Myah Eliason 25:06.4, 59. Hanna Strehlo 26:51.3, 81. Annika Bauman 29:11.3, 82. Emma Scholler 29:21.8.

GIRLS’ TEAM RESULTS: 1. Glenwood City 39, 2. Cameron 70, 3. Colfax 75, Ellsworth 78, 5. McDonell Central 158, 6. Durand 178, 7. Clear Lake 193, 8. Boyceville, 211, 9. Baldwin-Woodville 220, 10. Spring Valley 226, 11. Mondovi 270.

BOYS’ INDIVIDUAL RESULTS: 11. Jacob Nadeau 19:14.9, 28. Jabin Hojem 20:04.5, 47. Matthew Bauman 20:56.5, 67. Lane O’Meara 21:46.5, 74. Matthew O’Brien 21:58.3, 81. Bradley Kessler 22:34.9, 83. Elijah Simmons 22:44.5, 129. Henry Wallin 27:17.5, 139. Kyle Myers 29:44.8.

BOYS’ TEAM RESULTS: 1. Durand 21, 2. McDonell Central 64, 3. Ellsworth 120, 4. Augusta 129, 5. Colfax 134, 6. Cameron 160, 7. Spring Valley 170, 8. Glenwood City 192, 9. Baldwin-Woodville 208, 10. Boyceville 216, 11. Clear Lake 254, 12. Bruce 347, 13. Mondovi 400, 14. New Auburn 422.