We are part of The Trust Project.
KERKHOVEN — Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson Boyd and Minnewaska found success in the inaugural Benson/KMS Cross Country Invitational on Tuesday.
The LQPV/D-B boys team placed first with 49 points and the Minnewaska girls also took first with 42 points. Both teams had three runners in the top 10.
New London-Spicer placed third in both events.
The races were held on the 9-hole Kerkhoven Golf Course right behind KMS High School.
The athletes ran with overcast skies, but no rain.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Overall, it was a successful inaugural meet at the Kerkhoven Golf Course,” Benson/KMS coach Samantha VanHeuveln said.
While the course did not look to be a hilly one, the long distances the runners competed in was worth noting.
“A few coaches said the course was long, which is reflected in the slower-than-expected times,” VanHeuveln said. “So we’ll do a better job next time getting that distance right on.”
Varsity races are scheduled to go 5,000 meters.
In girls varsity, Minnewaska’s Olivia Danielson pushed through the course seemingly with ease, finishing with a time of 20 minutes, 32 seconds.
Danielson nearly finished a full minute before her teammate Lauryn Ankeny, who finished in 21:32.
The Lakers’ Sydney Chevalier finished in sixth (21:48) and Kierra Wilmes placed 11th (22:39).
Minnewaska took home the top spot with 42 points, Wadena-Deer Creek placed second (50) and New London-Spicer was third (76).
ADVERTISEMENT
For the boys, Sauk Centre’s Brandon Kampsen took first in 17:02, followed by LQPV Payton Sterud (17:47) and Benson/KMS’ Landon Thompson (18:13).
LQPV/D-B runners Kaiden Allpress placed fifth (18:23) and Elias Hegland was ninth (18:49), helping to lead their team to the top spot with 49 points.
Sauk Centre placed in second (60) and New-London-Spicer was third (85).
VanHeuveln says the invitational’s future is undecided.
“Time will tell to see if we host again in Kerkhoven or if it will be moved back to Benson next year,” she said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Benson/KMS Invitational
Boys
Team scoring
(1) Lac qui Parle Valley/Dawson-Boyd 49 … (2) Sauk Centre 60 … (3) New London-Spicer 85 … (4) Benson/KMS 89 … (5) Montevideo 139 … (6) Morris Area/Chokio-Albert 149 … (7) Minnewaska 165 … Border West 184.
Individual
TOP FIVE — (1) Brandon Kampsen, SC, 17:02 … (2) Payton Sterud, LQPV, 17:47 … (3) Landon Thompson, Ben/KMS, 18:13 … (4) Maeson Tank, Minne, 18:21 … (5) Kaiden Allpress, LQPV, 18:23.
BENSON/KMS — (3) Thompson … (11) Jacob Gareis 19:01 … (19) Jaron Furney 19:35 … (33) Ely Johnson 20:02 … (37) Isaac Wirth 20:07
BOLD/BLHS — (17) Niko Garcia 19:28 ... (18) Tanner Kautz 19:32 … (58) Jack Iverson 21:37
LQPV/D-B — (2) Sterud … (5) Allpress … (9) Elias Hegland 18:49 … (21) Gavin Carl 19:38 … (22) Taden Clark 19:42
MACCRAY/RCW — (53) Isaiah Schroeder 21:22 … (54) Ryan Schrupp 21:28 … (64) Daniel Seehusen 22:41 … (65) Josiah Seehusen 22:49.
MINNEWASKA — (38) Zachary Palmer 20:08 … (39) Nick Ankeny 20:11 … (48) Jayce Kovarik 20:52 … (52) James Ward 21:21 … (57) Ian Mills 21:35
MONTEVIDEO — (20) Brady Andrews 19:35.87 … (27) Connor Walz 19:49 … (30) Carson Lynner 19:54 … (40) Dain Winters 20:13 .. (42) Blake Andrews 20:18
NLS — (6) Jack Barney 18:28 … (15) Isaiah Nelson 19:17 … (24) Nixon Harrier 19:48 … (25) Carson Sampson 19:48.40 … (29) Paul Skredtvedt 19:53
Girls
Team scoring
(1) Minnewaska 42 … (2) Wadena-Deer Creek 50 … (3) New London-Spicer 76 … (4) Morris/Chokio-Alberta 81 … (5) Benson/Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 118 … (6) Lac qui Parle Valley 139 … (7) Sauk Centre 209 … (8) Border West 221 … (9) Montevideo 240
Individual
TOP FIVE — (1) Olivia Danielson, Min, 20:32 … (2) Lauren Ankeny, Min, 21:22 … (3) Amber Collins, W-DC, 21:23 … (4) Peyton Dahl, NLS, 21:38 … (5) Hailey Werk, MCA, 21:45
Minnewaska — (1) Danielson … (2) Ankeny … (6) Sydney Chevalier 21:48 … (11) Kierra Wilmes 22:39 … (23) Emma Kovarik 23:42.
BENSON/KMS — (12) Natalie Jorshumb 22:57 … (16) Erica Bakke 23:15 … (32) Katlyn Peters 24:18 … (39) Alissa Thompson 25:25 … (56) Sophia Miller 28:45
BOLD/BLHS — (19) Kenna Henriksen 23:20.70 … (22) Amber Rosemeier 23:39 … (55) Grace McDonnell 28:17
LQPV/D-B — (2) Anika Fernholz 23:22 … (26) Taylor Shelstad 23:50 … (30) Mya Conroy 24:10 … (33) Reese Ochesendorf 24:23 … (35) Chloe Gloege 24:34
… (2) Ankeny … (6) Sydney Chevalier 21:48 … (11) Kiera Wilmes 22:39 …(23) Emma Kovarik 23:42
MONTEVIDEO — (45) Meg Wanke 26:34 … (47) Brooke DeJong 26:45 … (48) Katie Halterman 26:50 … (52) Brenna Winters 27:34 … (54) Emily Valenzuela 28:05
NLS — (4) Dahl … (14) Halle Steffensen 23:10 … (17) Emersyn Hagen 23:18 … (18) Ava Seffensen 23:20 … (24) Emily Gratton 23:45
St. Cloud Tech Granite Invitational
With three of its top runners placing in the top five, the Willmar girls won the St. Cloud Tech Granite Invitational at Boulder Ridge Golf Course.
The Cardinal girls finished with 34 points, beating St. Cloud Cathedral’s 59 and Brainerd’s 97.
Lauren Eilers was Willmar’s top runner with a second-place time of 19 minutes, 14.05 seconds. Her twin sister Erin placed fourth at 19:32.02, and Nina Dawson was fifth at 19:33.22. Madi Engstrom (11th, 20:15.51) and Lyndi Koosman (12th, 20:23.47) rounded out the team score.
The top runner in the girls meet was Zimmerman’s Hailee Zimpel at 18:47.65.
“It was a huge bounce-back meet for the girls team, who has struggled the last couple of meets,” said Cardinals head coach Eric Hjelden. “The girls ran the times they need to run to try to have a chance at beating Alexandria at conference and sections.”
The Willmar boys had a third-place score of 73, finishing behind Brainerd (50) and St. Cloud Cathedral (64).
Sully Anez took the top spot in the boys race by 12 seconds with a season-best time of 16:24.16. Brainerd’s Thomas Ruhl was second at 16:36.15.
Colin O’Farrell also placed in the top five for Willmar with a fourth-place time of 16:50.62. Ryan Kuhlman (14th, 17:45.16) broke the 18-minute mark for the first time in his career. Brandan Zepeda (25th, 18:21.62) and Kory Behm (29th, 18:28.73) completed the Cardinals’ team score.
Boys
Team scoring
(1) Brainerd 50 … (2) St. Cloud Cathedral 64 … (3) Willmar 73 … (4) Sartell 78 … (5) St. Cloud Apollo 99 … (6) Zimmerman 174 … (7) Sauk Rapids 201 … (8) St. Cloud Tech 208
Individual
TOP FIVE — (1) Sully Anez, W, 16:24.16 … (2) Thomas Ruhl, Bra, 16:36.15 … (3) Eli Hanson, Sar, 16:36.43 … (4) Colin O’Farrell, W, 16:50.62 … (5) Jackson Gerads, SCA, 16:59.13
WILLMAR — (1) Anez … (4) O’Farrell … (14) Ryan Kuhlman 17:45.16 … (25) Brandan Zepeda 18:21.62 … (29) Kory Behm 18:28.73
Girls
Team scoring
(1) Willmar 34 … (2) St. Cloud Cathedral 59 … (3) Brainerd 97 … (4) Sartell 121 … (5) St. Cloud Apollo 134 … (6) Zimmerman 146 … (7) St. Cloud Tech 165 … (8) Sauk Rapids 190
Individual
TOP FIVE — (1) Hailee Zimpel, Z, 18:47.65 … (2) Lauren Eilers, W, 19:14.05 … (3) Mady Dockendorf, Sar, 19:22.75 … (4) Erin Eilers, W, 19:32.02 … (5) Nina Dawson, W, 19:33.22
WILLMAR — (2) L. Eilers … (4) E. Eilers … (5) Dawson … (11) Madi Engstrom 20:15.51 … (12) Lyndi Koosman 20:23.47
MACCRAY/RCW Invite
Canby/Minneota swept first place in the boys and girls divisions of the MACCRAY/Renville County West Invitational on Monday in Raymond.
Boys
Team scoring
(1) Canby/Minneota 19 … (2) Ortonville 52 … (3) New Testament 96
Individual
TOP FIVE — (1) Kolton Duis, CM, 17:28 … (2) Zach Ourada, CM, 17:34 … (3) Blake Giese, CM, 18:34 … (4) Tim Brouwer, CMCS, 18:37 … (5) Cadyn Vanderwal, O, 18:43.
CMCS — (4) Brouwer 18:37 … (15) Kaiden Ruis 20:59 …
MACCRAY/RCW — (16) Ryan Schrupp 21:00 … (20) Isaiah Schroeder 22:10 … (21) Daniel Seehusen 22:55 … (22) Josiah Seehusen 23:16
YME — (17) Ean Clarke 21:35 … (18) Dylan Castillo 21:42
Girls
Team scoring
(1) Canby/Minnesota 15 … (2) Wabasso 51
Individual
