The Minnewaska Area cross-country teams closed out the regular-season by racing in the Minnewaska Invitational, Thursday at the Minnewaska Golf Course.

A strong Redwood Valley cross-country program won both races, while the Lakers were second in the boys’ meet and third in the girls.

Lauryn Ankeny placed fourth for the Laker girls, while Nori Song was 10th and Jillian Deutsch 13th, and Maeson Tank was also fourth for the Minnewaska boys’ team with Zach Palmer placing seventh and Ian Mills 15th.

“I was very pleased with how our teams competed,” coach Jennifer Johnsrud said.  “We had 11 athletes set personal records for the season.  It is a definite advantage knowing the course well.  We appreciate how Minnewaska Golf Club has been really flexible allowing us time to practice the course over the season.

“We feel as though we are racing well and starting to peak as we enter the final meets of the season.”

The Lakers are set to race in the WCC Meet, Monday, Oct. 16 in Benson, followed by the Section 6A Cross-Country Meet, Friday, Oct. 27 at Wadena-DC.

“We are looking forward to the battle in Benson next week for the WCC Meet,” coach Johnsrud said.  “WCA looks really tough on the girls’ end of things.  We will have to contend with them both in the WCC Meet and the Section 6A Meet as they look to be one of the top teams along with WDC and Staples-Motley, who both advanced to state last season and have their entire teams back this year.”

Minnewaska Meet

The Redwood Valley Cardinals dominated the Minnewaska Area Invitational, Thursday, placing first, second and fifth in the boys’ race and first, second, third and fifth in the girls’ competition.

The Cardinals totaled just 17 points to win the girls’ meet.  Minnewaska Area was next with 56 points, while Melrose had 69 and Sauk Centre 94.

Redwood Valley also had two runners under 20 minutes as Addie Thomes was first with a time of 19:42 and Lolo Luze was second in 19:54.

Lauryn Ankeny placed fourth for the Lakers with a time of 20:19 and the Lakers other six runners were all in the top 17.

Nori Song placed 10th with a time of 21:25, followed on the Laker team by Jillian Deutsch in 13th (21:56), Sophia Wallin in 14th (22:18), Sydney Ankeny in 15th (22:26), Piper Citrowske-Lee in 16th (22:31) and Aubrey Stark in 17th place (22:46).

•  In the boys’ competition, William Ahrens went under 16 minutes with a time of 15:57 to placed first by 24 seconds over teammate, Kilen Cilek (16:21).

Maeson Tank was fourth overall with a time of 17:00, while Zach Palmer was also in the top-10 with a time of 17:47 to place seventh.

Ian Mills was next for Minnewaska Area with a time of 18:32 to place 15th, followed by Carter Dinsmore in 18th (18:59), Luke Hoffmann in 20th (19:17), Jayce Kovarik in 24th (19:37) and Ryan Koehntop in 28th place (20:34).

Sauk Centre placed second in the meet with 41 points, while Redwood Valley had 26 and Minnewaska Area had 64 to place third.

“The Sauk Centre boys continue to compete well.  They have a solid top 5,” coach Johnsrud said.  “We are hoping to get pushed by them and finish in the top end of the pack on Monday (for WCC Meet). 

“Bertha Hewitt, Staples-Motley and Sauk Centre look to be battling it out for the top team spot in the section boys’ meet. Our boys team has been more competitive than past years.  We are very hopeful to finish in the top 5 at the section meet.”

•  In the girls’ JV race, Izzy Bautista placed fourth (24:06), Autumn Hess was ninth (26:22) and Alannah Christensen was 16th (27:54) in a race won by Redwood Valley’s Klaira Horejsi in 23:25.

Running for the boys’ JV team were Tate Wasilowski in 20th (20:52) and Chase Wacker in 41st (26:11) in a  race won by Redwood Valley’s Joe Gerke in 18:38.

In the junior high race, the Lakers’ Rylan Tank won the 23-person, 2,500-meter boys’ race with a time of 9:15, while Ayden Svenning placed seventh for the girls’ team with a time of 11:51 in a race won by Sophia Bidinger, of Redwood Valley, in 10:39.

Minnewaska Invitational

Girls varsity team results:  (1) Redwood Valley 17  (2) Minnewaska 56  (3) Melrose 69  (4) Sauk Centre 94

Girls top five:  (1) Addie Thomes, Redwood 19:42  (2) Lolo Luze, Redwood 19:54  (3) Madalyn Munsell, Redwood 20:02  (4) Lauryn Ankeny, Min 20:19  (5) Ellie Nelson, Redwood 20:36

Minnewaska Area times:   (4) Lauryn Ankeny 20:19  (10) Nori Song 21:25  (13) Jillian Deutsch 21:56  (14) Sophia Wallin 22:18  (15) Sydney Ankeny 22:26  (16) Piper Citrowske-Lee 22:31  (17) Aubrey Stark 22:46

Boys varsity team results:  (1) Redwood Valley 26  (2) Sauk Centre 41  (3) Minnewaska 64  (4) Melrose Area 107

Boys top five:  (1) William Ahrens, Red 15:57  (2) Kilen Cilek, Redwood 16:21  (3) Jacob Drevlow, SC 16:49  (4) Maeson Tank, Min 17:00  (5) Landyn Nordby, Redwood 17:22

Minnewaska Area times:   (4) Maeson Tank 17:00  (7) Zach Palmer 17:47  (15) Ian Mills 18:32  (18) Carter Dinsmore 18:59  (20) Luke Hoffmann 19:17  (24) Jayce Kovarik 19:37  (28) Ryan Koehntop 20:34

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