The Minnewaska Area cross-country teams, coached by Jennifer Johnsrud and Linda Mills, are set to open up the season Monday, Aug. 28 at the Morris Invitational, followed by the Wadena-DC Invitational, Tuesday, Sept. 5 where the Lakers will find out how they match up against a strong WDC team that edged the Minnewaska Area girls for second place in last year’s Section 6A race.

The cross-country program lost seven athletes to graduation from last year’s team — James Ward, Jaden Anderson, Nick Ankeny, Elsey Hagen, Molly Hjelm, Alexx Carlson and Kiearra Wilmes — but does return two athletes that qualified to state; Lauryn Ankeny and Maeson Tank.

Last year, the girls cross-country team just missed out on a return trip to state when it placed third at the section meet.  Staples-Motley won the girls’ title with 46 points, while Wadena-DC was second with 83 and the Lakers were third with 91.

Staples-Motley went on to place third at state, while WDC finished ninth.

•  The Lakers had a great season in 2022 as the girls team was first at the Morris Invitational, LQP Invitational, Minnewaska Area Invitational and WCC Meet before placing third of 16 teams at the section meet.

The boys team, meanwhile, finished second at the LQP, Staples-Motley and WCC Meets before placing sixth at sections.

The Lakers will remain in Section 6A for at least the next two years and Melrose Area has been added to the list of section teams, while Breckenridge-Wahpeton has left.

•   This is the seventh year of having cross-country back at Minnewaska Area.  This year’s girls cross-country roster includes seventh-graders Nori Song, Jillian Deutsch and Ayden Svenning; eighth-grader Sydney Ankeny; ninth-grader Sophia Wallin; sophomores Lauryn Ankeny, Piper Citrowske-Lee and Aubrey Stark; juniors Alannah Christensen and Autumn Ness; and seniors Izzy Bautista and Teagan Stark, while the boys cross-country roster includes eighth-grader Rylan Tank; sophomore Carter Dinsmore; juniors Luke Hoffmann, Ryan Koehntop, Ian Mills, Zach Palmer and Chase Wacker; and seniors Jayce Kovarik and Maeson Tank.

Both teams lost two of their top seven runners from last year’s section team, including two All-Conference runners in Elsey Hagen and Kiearra Wilmes, but both teams have other runners that should be able to fill in nicely and the returning runners should also be improved from last season.

“Some of our goals this season are to earn as many All-Conference honors as we can, to be in contention to win the WCC for both girls and boys and to sending as many individuals on to the state meet as possible,” coach Jennifer Johnsrud said.  

•  Lauryn Ankeny, Elsey Hagen, Kiearra Wilmes and Maeson Tank all earned All-WCC honors last year, while Aubrey Stark and Nick Ankeny earned honorable mention.

In addition, Lauryn Ankeny earned All-State honors and Wilmes was selected All-State Academic.

•  At the state meet last year, freshman Lauryn Ankeny competed for the Laker girls, placing 23rd overall during her second state competition, while junior Maeson Tank ran for the Laker boys, earning 56th place during his first state meet.