WISCONSIN RAPIDS — The Aquinas High School girls cross country team got off to a great start at the WIAA Division 3 state meet on Saturday, but Kohler saved enough until the end to wrestle the team championship away from the Blugolds.
Aquinas and Westby were the top two teams through the first and second miles, but Kohler took over from there and edged the Blugolds for the team championship with a score of 95. Aquinas was second (98) and Westby third (122) in a race run at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
Sophomore Emily Bagniefski and freshman Sanjana Musafir led the runner-up performance by placing 15th and 19th overall with respective times of 19 minutes, 52.6 seconds and 20:08.5, respectively. Bagniefski’s time earned Aquinas nine points and Musafir’s 11.
The Blugolds had a running team score of 82 after one mile and 90 and after two miles, and Westby was second at both points before Kohler ran the strongest down the stretch to pick up the victory.
The Norsemen were led by junior Elizabeth Curtis (19.43.9), who was 12th overall and scored eight team points. Sophomore teammate Addison Evenstad added a time of 20:26.7 and was 32nd overall for 15 team points.
The Blugolds also receiving scoring runs from junior Alexa Myre (20:37.9), sophomore Caitlin Wengel (20:46.9) and senior Tenny Makepeace (21:27.7). Makepeace was competing in her second state meet of the fall after tying for seventh place at the state golf meet.
Westby also received scoring runs from sophomore Molly Hamilton (20:50.3), freshman Hannah Hagen (21:00.5) and senior Natalie Miller (21:48.5).
Cochrane-Fountain City junior Addy Duellman was fourth (18:56.9), Independence/Gilmanton junior Taylor Sylla eighth (19:15.9), C-FC freshman Paxtyn Duellman 13th (19:44.6) to add to the area’s top-20 finishes.
Bangor senior Anna Fronk was 27th (20:19.4) to give it another in the top 30.
DIVISION 2
West Salem was 11th with a team score of 275 and was led by senior Mia Olson (20:08.3) and her 36th-place finish overall for 20 team points.
Senior Faith Menard (20:34.4), sophomore Sam McRogers (21:42.1), sophomore Elise Flock (21:50.5) and senior Maclaine Heilman (22:07.3) also contributed scoring runs for the Panthers.
Viroqua freshman Allyah Schwen was 37th (20:10.8).
DIVISION 1
Holmen junior Sabrina Lechnir turned in a 35th-place finish and time of 19:37.3 as the area’s top local finisher. Junior teammate Naomi Wedan crossed the line 92nd in a time of 20:16.
