Prep cross country: Willmar Invite features top-flight field

WILLMAR - Ideal weather conditions forecasted for Saturday will make for memorable races at Eagle Creek Golf Club as the Willmar Cardinals are hosting a 14-school cross country invite that will feature several state-ranked teams and individuals.
Both the Cardinal boys and girls teams have won three meets this season and are currently in the top 10 in the Class AA coaches’ poll with the girls No. 4 and boys No. 8. Another win tomorrow isn’t out of the question, but both squads will have to run their best race of the year to make it happen.
“It will be a great chance for our guys to see where we fit in with Hopkins and Wayzata,” said Willmar coach Jerry Popp. “Our girls will be looking to avenge an earlier loss to Marshall at Hutchinson last week.”
The varsity girls race opens the day at 1 p.m., followed by the varsity boys. The temperature in the early afternoon hours are forecasted to be in the upper 50s with a clear sky.
The Hopkins boys have the state’s No. 1 ranking while Wayzata is No. 3. The Marshall girls are No. 2 and not far behind is Wayzata at No. 5.
“It is going to be the most competitive invitational we have hosted,” said Popp. “The boys race features state-ranked Hopkins, Wayzata and Willmar along with several of the top-rated individuals.”
“On the girls side, top-four teams from Marshall and Willmar headline the race, but Hopkins and Moorhead are always solid teams. Many of the other schools have some very good individuals competing.”
Willmar swept the team titles at last year’s meet.
Also scheduled to compete this year are Community Christian School of Willmar, Elk River, Fargo North, Hutchinson, Jamestown (N.D.), Jordan, Pipestone, Richland-Colfax (N.D.) and St. Cloud Tech. CCS has had junior Joshua Starr win a race and eighth-grader Reegan Duininck post top-10 times this year.
Senior Nadir Yusuf (two) and junior Mohamed Noor (one) have a combined three wins to form a powerful 1-2 punch for the Willmar boys. Senior Ian Thompson has a second-place time to his credit, and freshmen Cael Carlson and Harley Anez have provided the Cardinals solid times.
Seniors Jared Carpenter of Wayzata and Owen Hoeft of Hopkins are the top two ranked individuals and Yusuf is receiving votes in the state polls.
Pipestone’s Michael Suda is the No. 8 runner in the Class A coaches’ poll.
The Willmar girls have consistently placed five or six runners - sometimes seven - in the top 20 all season. The Cardinals don’t have a runner in the individual state rankings, but senior Courtney Hanson, juniors Savannah Anez, Jessa Hanson, Kayla Rudie and Sophie Schmitz, and freshmen Elsie Duininck, Leah Hansen, Serena Monson and Heidi Schmitz have clocked some of the area’s best times.
Rudie won the season-opening meet in Moorhead on Aug. 31.
The only state-ranked girl running Saturday is Marshall’s Claire Boersma (No. 6).
There will also be JV, Middle School and elementary-aged races.