Second best
Grace Drietz ran away from the field — six Canby-Minneota runners were named Camden Conference and both teams finished second to Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd.
So what’s new? Nothing, actually!
All was well for the cross country team. “It was a great run by the Canby-Minneota Cross Country team today,” said Coach Allyson Pesek.
After the boys finished, she gave each one an individual handshake and pat on the back.
“I’m very proud of our runners. What a great way to end the regular season,” said the coach.
It was if Drietz was running all along on the course as she ran a 19:07 and came in a minute and 44 seconds ahead of second place Isabel Schirm of Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd.
But the Eagles brought in three straight runners after Drietz and that helped sew up the team title.
Braeleyn Merritt, McKenzie Ruether and Faith Traen came into the chute in fifth through seventh and all four Canby-Minneota runners earned all-conference honors.
Aidyn Bruns was 12th and the fifth C-M runner.
“We got second place by just two points,” said Coach Pesek. LqPV/D-B won with 28 with Canby-Minneota second with 30.
Camden Conference Girls
1. LqPV/DB 28; 2. Canby-Minneota 30; 3. Ortonville 94; 4. Yellow Medicine East 103; 5. Border West (Clinton, Graceville, Beardsley, Wheaton, Herman, Norcross) 119. Incomplete: MACCRAY/RCW; Lakeview; Tracy-Milroy-Balaton; Central Minnesota Christian.
Medalist; Grace Drietz, Canby-Minneota, 19:07.
Canby-Minneota: 1. Drietz, 19:07; 5. Braeleyn Merritt, 21:22; 6. McKenzie Ruether, 21:25; 7. Faith Traden, 21:35; 12. Aidyn Bruns, 22:45.3. Others: 17. Kameron King, 23:35.7; 22. Makenzie Hemish, 24:46.4.
Total runners: 40.
“The boys varsity also came in second. We had two boys get All-Conference honors: Jared Josephson and Jalyn Ufkin,” said Coach Pesek.
Josephson, who took over as the team leader two races earlier, finished in eighth in 18:06 with the early-season leader, Ufkin just behind him in ninth place at 18:07.5.
Again, Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boy was the top dog with 15 points as all five of their top runners finished in first through fifth.
Canby-Minneota was 38-points behind at 63.
The Eagles Mike Kvaal led his teamates to the finish line at 17:14.3 with Zeke Sather, Eean Allpress, Mason Brehmer and Griffin Johnson following him into the chute for a perfect score of 15.
Canby-Minneota’s next three runners were Blake Stoks in 12th; Alexander Full in 15th and Sean Dilley of Minneota in 19th.
After recovering from an injury, Dilley added to the Canby-Minneota attack after getting back on the course.
After the race, Tristan Bierschenk, who finished 22nd and fell out of the top five, had to be attended two as he struggled to breath properly. He finally began to recover.
The next race is the Division 3A Sectionals on Thursday, October 25 at 4 p.m. at Luverne. The top two boys and girls teams will advance to state along with the top individual runners.
Camden Conference Boys
1. LqPV/DB 15; 2. Canby-Minneota 63; 3. Lakeview 103; 4. Ortonville 111; MACCRAY/RCW 146; 6. Yellow Medicine East 159; 7. Border West (Clinton, Graceville, Beardsley, Wheaton, Herman, Norcross) 169, 8. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 173. Incomplete: Central MN Christian,
Medalist; Mike Kvaal, LqPV/DB 17:14.3.
Canby-Minneota: 8. Jared Josephson 18:06.6; 9. Jalyn Ufkin, 18:97.5; 12. Blake Stoks, 18:41.5; 15. Alexander Full, 19:01. 2; 19. Sean Dilley, 19:41.8. Others: 20. Nolan Harding, 19:41.5; 22. Tristan Bierschenk, 20:01.2;
Total runners: 51.