The Minnewaska Area cross-country schedule is set to begin Monday, Aug. 29 at the Morris Invitational followed three days later with the Lac qui Parle Invitational, Thursday, Sept. 1.  

The Lakers have 10 meets scheduled during the regular-season leading up to the Section 6A Meet, Friday, Oct. 28, and the State Cross-Country Meet at St. Olaf, Saturday, Nov. 5.  The Lakers are set to host their home invitational, Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Back to lead the team again this year is Jennifer Johnsrud, who will be assisted by Linda Mills.

“We have great captains this year that do a great job with leadership within our team and encouraging the underclassmen,” coach Johnsrud said.  “We lost three girls to graduation (Ava Chevalier, Sydnie Chevalier, and Emma Kovarik), but we return the entire boys’ team from last fall.”

This year’s Minnewaska Area boys cross-country roster includes seniors James Ward, Jaden Anderson and Nick Ankeny; juniors Jayce Kovarik and Maeson Tank; sophomores Ryan Koehntop, Ian Mills, Zachary Palmer and Chase Wacker; ninth-graders Carter Dinsmore and Caden Manderschied; and seventh-graders Owen Greene and Rylan Tank.

The girls cross-country roster for 2022 includes seniors Elsey Hagen, Molly Hjelm and Kiearra Wilmes; juniors Isabelle Bautista and Teagan Stark; sophomores Alannah Christensen and Autumn Hess; ninth-graders Lauryn Ankeny, Piper Citrowske Lee and Aubrey Stark; eighth-grader Emma Koehntop; and seventh-grader Sydney Ankeny.

“We have some new upperclassmen joining us this year such as Izzy Bautista and Autumn Hess, and we also have some new faces with some incoming junior high athletes,” coach Johnsrud said.  “We’re hoping to make a run for the WCC title again this year and contend in the Section 6A Meet.”

•  Last year, the Minnewaska Area girls won the WCC title and also went on to place second in the Section 6A Meet and seventh at the State Class A Meet.  In addition, two members of the team earned All-State honors and five earned All-Conference.