Canby/Minneota girls qualify for state cross country meet
The old adage “Always the bridesmaid, never the bride” can no longer be used with the Canby/Minneota girls’ cross country team after capturing the Section 3A title Thursday in Luverne.
The C/M girls will compete at state as a team on Nov. 7 at St. Olaf College ion Northfield, as will Zach Ourada of C/M in the boys’ race.
Following the awards ceremony, the team members placed a makeshift veil over coach Allyson Pesek as a way of telling her they had finally made her the bride.
With the top two teams in each section of the state qualifying for the state meet each year, Canby/Minneota had finished third each of the past three seasons (2019, 2020 and 2021) before leaving no doubt this year with a second-place finish.
“The team humor was ‘always a bridesmaid, never a bride’ because we were so close,” said Pesek. “Well, yesterday I became a bride.”
Murray County Central took the girls’ team title with 58 points, while Canby/Minneota amassed 67 points for second place. Luverne finished third with 74.
Braelyn Merritt finished in fifth place for C/M, with Claire Stoks placing seventh, Jordyn Jostock 11th, Mya Pesek 14th, and Nohemi Diaz 30th. Alternates Hannah Vlaminck and Charolette Brungsvig were 36th and 37th, respectively.“We had a team meeting after school on Oct. 7,” said Pesek. “That day, the girls decided they were going to prove it. Prove it they did.”
On the boys’ side, Ourada finished third and advanced to the state meet.
“We are so proud of Zach,” said Pesek. “He ran his best race yet.”
Teammates Blake Giese was 18th and Kolton Duis finished 20th.
“Kolton has been one of our leaders all season,” said Pesek. “He’s been sick all week and fatigue took over with about 800 meters left. He walked to the finish line as he had nothing left.
Luverne won the boys’ section title with Redwood Valley second. Those two teams advanced to the state meet. Canby/Minneota placed fourth out of 18 teams.
“I am proud of every runner,” said coach Pesek. “I’m proud of our alternates who are ready when needed and cheering them on to the finish. I’m proud of our managers for keeping it all together. I’m proud of our teammates who come to watch. I’m proud of our parents for their constant support. Proud of our fans who know this sport is like no other. We are proud to be the coaches of Canby/Minneota cross country.”
GIRLS TEAM SCORES
(1) Murray County Central 58 (2) Canby/Minneota 67 (3) Luverne 74 (4) Redwood Valley 110 (5) Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd 147 (6) Mountain Lake Area/Comfrey 199 (7) Windom Area 212 (8) Adrian/Ellsworth 230 (9) Springfield/Cedar Mountain 246 (10) Central Minnesota Christian 249 (11) Pipestone Area 268 (12) Jackson County Central 268 (13) Wabasso 389 (14) Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 393 (15) Yellow Medicine East 397 (16) Lakeview 410 (17) Southwest Minnesota Christian/Ellsworth 443 (18) Montevideo 539
GIRLS TOP 20
(1) Amanda Overgaauw, MCC, 17:34.74 (2) Ashley Overgaauw, MCC, 18:28.46 (3) Jenna DeBates, Luv, 18:30.10 (4) Kaylee Walklin, Win, 18:56.10 (5) Braelyn Merritt, CM, 19:27.37 (6) Addie Thomas, RV, 19:43.41 (7) Claire Stoks, CM, 19:48.71 (8) Ella Schmuck, Luv, 19:52.06 (9) Katie Thram, Spr, 19:47.45 (10) Madalyn Munsell, RV, 20:02.49 (11) Jordyn Jostock, CM, 20:04.05 (12) Chloe Gloege, LQPV, 20:06.10 (13) Brylei Schreier, MCC, 20:12.26 (14) Mya Pesek, CM, 20:12.44 (15) Taylor Post, Pipe, 20:18.32 (16) Lola Luze, RV, 20:47.26 (17) Khloe Visker, Luv, 20:56.06 (18) Cora Pauling, JCC, 20:57.52 (19) Grace Ingebretson, Luv, 21:00.87 (20) Megan Bakke, MCC, 21:01.64
CANBY/MINNEOTA GIRLS
(5) Merritt (7) Stoks (11) Jostock (14) Pesek (30) Nohemi Diaz 21:36.63 (36) Hannah Vlaminck 21:57.51 (37) Charolette Brunsvig 21:57.78
BOYS TEAM SCORES
(1) Luverne 66 (2) Redwood Valley 82 (3) Windom Area 106 (4) Canby/Minneota 146 (5)Murray County Central 170 (6) Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd 186 (7) Mountain Lake Area 197 (8) Jackson County Central 207 (9) Montevideo 220 (10) Springfield/Cedar Mountain 264 (11) Lakeview 283 (12) Pipestone Area 285 (13) BOLD/Buffalo Lake-Hector 341 (14) Adrian/Ellsworth 349 (15) Heron Lake-Okabena 406 (16) Southwest Minnesota Christian/Ellsworth 419 (17) Wabasso 440 (18) Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 532
BOYS TOP 20
(1) Will Ahrens, RV, 16:00.22 (2) Owen Janiszeski, Luv, 16:05.29 (3) Zach Ourada, CM, 16:35.17 (4) Kilen Cilek, RV, 16:36.20 (5) Kody Wassman, MLA, 16:36.94 (6) Evan Baumgardner, MCC, 16:37.08 (7) Ryan Fick, Luv, 16:38.54 (8) Caden Strasser, Pipe, 16:47.66 (9) Camden Janiszeski, Luv, 16:53.32 (10) Evan Paplow, JCC, 16:53.73 (11) Tim Salentiny, HLO, 16:55.19 (12) Thomas Green, Win, 17:01.01 (13) Gavin Carl, LQPV, 17:04.90 (14) Ethan Schwankl, Lake, 17:06.19 (15) Aaden Nauman, Win, 17:07.45 (16) Charlie Smith, Win, 17:10.31 (17) Brady Andrews, Mon, 17:18.61 (18) Blake Giese, CM, 17:20.80 (19) Kolton Duis, CM, 17:21.35 (20) Camden Cilek, Rv. 17:21.57
CANBY/MINNEOTA BOYS
(3) Ourada (18) Giese (19) Duis (52) Tallen Merritt 18:31.60 (60) Sam Skorczewski 18:55.15 (61) Hunter Danielson 18:57.56 (82) Logan Myhre 19:59.61