Cross country team eager for fall season

Sports are now at a premium with COVID-19 issues still at the forefront. Football and volleyball were moved to the spring, but cross country will continue as planned.
The Canby/Minneota girls and boys team began practice early Monday morning behind the Canby Elementary School.
The C/M head coach is Allyson Pesek, while Jennifer Ufkin and Sara Wollum are the assistant coaches.
Three-time state qualifiers McKenzie Ruether, a senior, and Grace Drietz, a junior, lead a strong contingent returning for the Canby/Minneota girls cross country team.
Last year's girls team was conference champions, Milaca Mega Meet champs, and finished third out of 17 teams in the Section 3A meet.
Returning varsity runners for the Canby/Minneota girls' cross country team are:
SENIORS
McKenzie Ruether, Rachel Wollum
JUNIOR
Grace Drietz
FRESHMAN
Braelyn Merritt
EIGHTH GRADERS
Claire Stoke, Nohemi Diaz
Drietz was also a conference champion. Merritt also qualified for the state meet last season.
The Canby/Minneota boys were second in the Camden Conference meet and sixth in the Section 3A meet.
Returning varsity runners for the C/M boys' team are:
SENIORS
Eric Carrasco, Isaac Bach
JUNIORS
Blake Stoks, Tristian Bierschenk
FRESHMAN
Kolton Duis
Stoks is a returning state participant.
The first available meet teams can participate in is Aug. 27. The last day to hold section tournaments is Oct. 31.
No participant may run in more than a total of 1 and 1/10th of the total number of meets allowed exclusive of League tournament play.
The race distance for both girls and boys varsity cross country meets and all Minnesota State High School League postseason tournaments shall be 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) unless the meet director or games committees adjusts the distance because of weather or some other unforeseen reason.
The race distance for lower level high school meets may be less than 5k.
A cross country runner may run as an individual competitor in road races, fun runs, marathons and races for a cause of any distance through Labor Day. If they run in these kinds of events after Labor Day, the distance run in the competition must be significantly different in length than the distance run in high school cross country.
Significantly different is defined as one-kilometer difference in race length.