Tri-County Area teams fight through weather, ailments and busy schedule

Despite the rain and approaching storms, Augusta was able to get in their own Augusta Invitational Cross Country Meet last week Thursday, Sept. 17 at a new course set-up at and behind the Centennial Field Athletic Complex.

The finish line was on the Balliett Stadium Track and due to the weather, the boys and girls varsity 5000-meter race took place together.

Logan Thompson of Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran, one of the top runners in the region, won the boys' race in 18:40 and helped his Lancer team finish first. Augusta was second out of the five teams competing led by fellow senior Preston Schafer, who had his best race so far in 2024 finishing fourth at 20 minutes even.

No. 13 ranked Independence/Gilmanton won the girls' race in 19:19 and the Indees took the team title as well with Augusta second. AHS freshman Laney O'Brien finished second in 20:42.

"Laney and Preston have really stepped up this season to lead the team," AHS head coach Zach lee said. "Their consistent work ethic, determination, and focus have set them apart as top runners. They've not only improved their times but have also shown strong leadership in both practice and races, pushing themselves and their teammates to new levels. Their dedication to training and commitment to improving every aspect of their race strategy has made a noticeable impact, and their performances so far reflect that growth."

Other AHS girls runners taking part in the race were freshman Sophie Bergman, ninth in 24:42, senior Roella Weiss, 16th in 27:53; sophomore Maya Peterson, 18th in 28:55 and junior Samantha Hanson, 19th in 28:56. For the Beaver boys, freshman Zale Pettis was 12th in 22:11; junior Dasan Downey finished 15th in 22:42; sophomore Riley Charlo was 20th in 23:38, junior Garrett Larson placed 24th in 26:26, freshman Thomas Truog was 28th in 35:54 and sophomore Jayson Klingbeil finished 29th in 37:11.

Osseo-Fairchild also took part in the meet. Senior Nolan Olson finished 18th in 23:24 and junior Orion Prudlick was 25th in 27:29. O-F junior Alyssa Burmesch finished 15th in 27:47.

Fall Creek was trying to get healthy last week through injuries and illness affecting their race line-ups. Last week Tuesday, Sept. 17 the Crickets took part in the Neillsville Invitational. FC's boys finished seventh out of the 17 teams entered led by senior Joel Strump's 14th place in 19:23, good for a medal. No. 7 ranked Marathon won the boys' team title while Marshfield Columbus' Isaac Scheer, a senior, won the race in 16:53.

Also running for FCHS in the boys' race were junior Marcus Coleman, 38th in 21 minutes even; sophomore Alex Anderson, 52md in 22:01; senior Jamison Carey, 61st in 22:24; junior Kaden Prock, 69th in 23:27; freshman Weston Mielke, 75th in 24:09; junior Shane Moore, 82nd in 24:48; freshman Hudson Abts, 97th in 28:29 and freshman Isaac Bougie, 107th in 40:06.

FC's girls finished ninth in the team standings led by senior Cora Peterson, 40th in 26:05; junior Jamie Johnson, 42nd in 26:19' senior Emma Westrate, 43rd in 26:26; junior Lea Grassin, 44th in 26:30; sophomores Kamryn Dahlberg and Iris VanWormer, 54th and 55th in 28 minutes and 28:06 respectively; senior Larssis Johnsona, 60th in 28:20; freshman Emily Vollbrecht, 63rd in 28:39; freshman Claire Fischer, 66th in 28:43; junior Ellie Schroeder, 72nd in 29:33; junior Ellie Coach, 78th in 29:54; senior Kendyl Asmussen, 80th in 30:39 sophomore Reece Asmussen, 83rd in 31:44.

Bangor won the team title led by the race winner Anna Fronk in 20:42.

Audrey Koehler was back in the FCHS line-up after illness and took part in Tuesday's Cadott Invitatinal at Whispering Pines Golf Course. She finished 12th in 21:46 helping the Crickets to a sixth place finish out of 18 teams competing. Also running for FCHS were Johnston, 42nd in 24:43; Peterson, 44th in 24:50; Dahlberg 57th in 25:59; Fischer 58th in 26 minutes even; VanWormer 64th in 26:37; Vollbrecht 65th in 26:38; Schroeder 83rd in 28:47; Coach 85th in 28:59; Reece Asmussen 86th in 29:08; Kendyl Asmussen 90th in 29:22 and freshman Julia Befort, 99th in 33:55.

Augusta also ran in this meet had just four runners and were not scored as a team. O'Brien again impressed with a third place finish in 20:37, 35 ticks off the pace set by the race winner junior Leah Harper of Phillips. Also running for AHS were Bergman, 37th in 24:22; Weiss, 72nd in 27:17 and Peterson, 93rd in 29:58. Harper helped Phillips win the team title with a low score of 45 points, edging Eau Claire Regis' 88 and No. 11 ranked Boyceville's 95.

Fall Creek and Augusta were 9-10 in the boys' team standings 263 and 283 points. Fall Creek's runners were Coleman 40th in 19:45.1; Alex Anderson 78th in 21:27.9, Carey 83rd in 21:47.1, Prock, 94th in 22:39.8, Mielke 99th in 22:46.3, Moore 110th in 24:34.9 Abts, 115th in 25:21.6 and Bougie, 132nd in 34:32. For Augusta, Schafer 66th in 20:56.8, Pettis 76th in 21:24.0; Downey 80th in 21:39.4, Charlo 108th in 24:18.7, Larson 118th in 26:01.4 and Truog 131st in 34:18.4.

Phillips junior Gavin Esterholm made it a sweep of the individual titles for the Loggers as he won in 16:42 but it was No. 2 ranked Rib Lake-Prentice winning the team title with 47 points to No. 5 Phillips' 50 while Chippewa Falls McDonell was third with 62 points.

Eleva-Strum ran in the Dan Conway Invitational Meet at Chetek-Weyerhaeuser last week Thursday, Sept. 19. Junior runner Russell Hulett finished 11th in 19:29 also running for E-S were freshman Sam Gehrke, 55th in 24:43; junior Alex Awe, 66th in 27:09 and junior Gabe Wakefield, 71st in 32:03. Central's Amalia Dyar ran in the girls' race and finished 36th in 27:17.

This afternoon's races include the Durand-Arkansaw Invitational at Rolling Greens Golf Course at 4 p.m. Taking part is Fall Creek along with Ellsworth, Lake City, Minn., Somerset, Boyceville, Chetek-Weyerhaeuser, Elk Mound, Elmwood/Plum City, Prairie Farm, Spring Valley, Blair-Taylor High School, Durand-Arkansaw, Independence/Gilmanton and Whitehall. At 4:30 p.m. is the Eleva-Strum Invitational with Augusta, Black River Falls, Chippewa Valley - Lightning Bolts, Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran, Lincoln High School and Neillsville invovled along with the host Cardinals.

The Osseo-Fairchild Invitational meet is next Thursday, Oct. 3 at Osseo Golf Course beginning at 4 p.m. Teams racing will be the Chippewa Valley - Lightning Bolts homeschool squad, Fall Creek, Mondovi, Cameron (ranked No. 15 in the state in boys, No. 9 in girls), Black River Falls, Augusta, Eau Claire Immanuel Lutheran, Eau Claire Regis and Chippewa Falls McDonell.