Hartland (OnFocus) – The WIAA Cross Country Meet is at three different sites in 2020, with the Division 1 race to be held at Arrowhead High School. Here is a breakdown of area Division 1 runners competing on Saturday:
Session A
9:30 a.m. – Girls Race
10:10 a.m. – Boys Race
Session B
12:30 p.m. – Girls Race
1:10 p.m. – Boys Race
Session C
3:30 p.m. – Girls Race
4:10 p.m. – Boys Race
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Area GIRLS competing:
Session C, 3:30:
- Elizabeth Schmidt (Merrill)
- Sara Mlodik (D.C. Everest)
Marshfield Tigers Team(Session C, 3:30)
- Eliana Kanitz
- Michaela Dick
- Calleigh Kanitz
- Kairi Kim
- Dehlia Kilty
- Jerica Mueller
Area BOYS competing:
Session C, 4:10
- Joe Sullivan (Medford)
- Lucas Allen (D.C. Everest)
For the complete preview from the WIAA, click HERE
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Qualifiers & Session Assignments
(Preview from the WIAA)
GIRLS DIVISION 1 NOTES: The reduced field of teams and competitors has six teams and 11 individuals returning after finishes in the top 20 last year. Most notably, Muskego returns in pursuit of its third straight title. The Warriors should be considered a strong contender for another title, returning six of the seven runners that participated in the meet last year. Each of those returners finished in the top 62. Last year’s runner-up Onalaska is back to challenge for the team title with all seven of the runners from last year’s team returning to the meet, including three that finished in the top 20. Whitefish Bay has three returning runners from its seventh-place team last year, and Homestead returns five from an 11th-place finish. Other returning top-20 teams from a year ago are Kimberly, which has four participants returning from a 14th-place finish in 2019, and Slinger, which has five returners back from its 18th-place standing. Individually, Senior Kora Malecek of Onalaska is the returning Division 1 champion. The four-time qualifier has also finished fifth in 2018 and 11th in 2017. Senior Kate Sperka of Muskego looks to challenge her for the top spot after a fourth-place finish last season to go with runner-up finishes in 2018 and 2017. Senior Molly Desotell of Notre Dame, who moves up a Division this year, could also challenge for the title. She placed third in Division 3 last season, 14th in 2018 and 12th in 2017. Another experienced contender is senior Brooke Edwardson of Kimberly. She placed sixth a year ago after coming in third in 2018 and 15th in 2017. Senior Anna Fauske of Kaukauna rebounded from placing 97th in 2018 with a ninth-place finish last year. She ran to an eighth-place finish her freshman season. Other returning runners finishing in the top 20 in 2019 with sights on challenging the leaders are senior Leane Willemse of Homestead, who was 11th last year and 17th in 2018; junior Isabella Ross of Oak Creek, who placed 13th a year ago; junior Rachel Helm of Muskego who was 14th last season; senior Julia Neustedter of Brookfield Central, who was 15th last year following a 23rd-place standing in 2018; and seniors Lydia and Amalia Malecek of Onalaska, who were 18th and 20th last year, respectively.
DIVISION 1 BOYS NOTES: The reduced field of teams and competitors has four teams and six individuals returning after finishes in the top 20 last year. Oconomowoc is the highest finishing team returning to the field this season with a fifth-place finish in 2019 on the heels of a sixth-place finish in 2018. The Raccoons return three runners from that squad. Slinger returns five participants from the team that placed 13th last season, and Kenosha Indian Trail has three returners from a team that was 14th. The only other team that qualified last season returning to the field this year is New Richmond, which returns five runners from the team that placed 17th. Senior Cael Grotenhuis of Slinger has the distinction of being the top returning individual performer at last year’s State meet with his runner-up finish. Senior Joshua Truchon of West Allis Hale is back in the field after placing fourth last season and just missing cracking the top 20 in 2018, placing 21st. Senior Nolan Richey of Kimberly also has sights on contending for the individual title after a sixth-place result a year ago. Senior Nathan Baker of Grafton moves up a division after placing 10th in Division 2 last year. The only other two runners back after placing in the top 20 last year are senior Gavin Czarnecki of Beaver Dam, who was 15th, and senior Niko Martinez-Ortiz, who was 16th.
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
