Cross Country: State Tournament Preview: Three team champions return to defend 2009 titles; Three individual champions also return

Three team champions return this Saturday (November 6), when the Minnesota State High School League’s 2010 State Girls’ and Boys’ Cross Country Running Meet is conducted at St. Olaf College in Northfield. The Waseca girls are in the hunt for their second title in Class A, and the Elk River girls are looking to make it two in a row in Class AA. The boys of Plainview-Elgin-Millville are in the hunt for their second consecutive Class A championship.

Three individual champions also return in search of more gold. Junior Mubarik Musa of Worthington claimed top honors in the Class A boys race last year, and senior Aaron Bartnik of Eden Prairie won in Class AA. Sophomore Maria Hauger of Shakopee is the only female champion to return; she took the Class AA crown in 2009. Lukas Gemar, a senior at Moorhead, also returns to the Class AA race. He won the event in 2008.

The girls run a 4,000-meter course. The boys run a 5,000-meter course.

Class A Boys Highlights
The Bulldogs of Plainview-Elgin-Millville return to defend their 2009 title. They have five runners with previous state meet experience. Nine other teams also return from last year’s field: Waseca, Fairmont, Minnehaha Academy of Minneapolis, Holy Family Catholic of Victoria, St. Cloud Cathedral, Mora, Albany, Esko, and Perham.

The other teams qualified this year are La Crescent, Redwood Valley of Redwood Falls, Canby/Minneota/Lincoln HI, Sauk Centre, Crosby-Ironton, and Thief River Falls.

The final rankings from the state coaches association for the qualified teams are: 1. Perham; 2. St. Cloud Cathedral; 3. Plainview-Elgin-Millville; 4. Minnehaha Academy; 6. Waseca; 7. Holy Family Catholic; 8. Fairmont; 9. Mora; and 12. Esko.

Seven Top 10 finishers, including defending champion, junior Mubarik Musa of Worthington, return from the 2009 field. The others are: senior Aaron Haley of Plainview-Elgin-Millville, fourth; senior Mason Ferlic of Mounds Park Academy of St. Paul, fifth; senior OJ Ojullu of Worthington, sixth; senior Grant Wintheiser of St. Cloud Cathedral, eighth; junior Troy Koivisto of Dassel-Cokato, ninth; and Grant Timm of Plainview-Elgin-Millville, 10th.

Musa and Ferlic were ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the final coaches poll. Haley followed at No. 6, Timm was No. 8, Wintheiser was No. 10, and Ojullu was No. 12.

Class A Girls Highlights
Twelve of last year’s 16 teams are back. The Waseca Bluejays, who are the defending champions, return with five runners back from their 2009 team. Other teams that are returning are La Crescent, Fairmont, Adrian, Holy Family Catholic of Victoria, The Blake School of Minneapolis, St. Cloud Cathedral, Annandale, Albany, Esko, Perham, and Park Rapids Area. The other qualified teams are Dover-Eyota/St. Charles, Canby/Minneota/Lincoln HI, Sauk Centre, and Crosby-Ironton.

The final rankings from the state coaches association for the qualified teams are: 1. Adrian; 2. St. Cloud Cathedral; 3. La Crescent; 4. Holy Family Catholic; 5. The Blake School; 6. Dover-Eyota/St. Charles; 7. Waseca; 9. Albany; 10. Perham; and 11. Esko.

Kayla Woltz, a sophomore at Chatfield, is the highest returning qualifier. She’s earned runner-up honors for the past two years. Three additional Top 10 finishers also return: ninth-grader Clare Flanagan of The Blake School, third; ninth-grader Courtney Alama of Annandale, fifth; and sophomore Elena Danielson of St. Cloud Cathedral, seventh. Danielson was No. 1 in the final rankings from the state coaches association and Flanagan was No. 8.

Class AA Boys Highlights
Ten of last year’s 16 teams will be back, including the runners-up from Wayzata. The Trojans have five runners with previous state meet experience. Other teams returning from last year’s meet are Lakeville North, Burnsville, Stillwater Area, Andover, Wayzata, Forest Lake, Cambridge-Isanti, Moorhead, Alexandria.

The other teams in the field are Buffalo, Chaska, Rosemount, Roseville Area, Maple Grove, and Edina.

The final rankings from the state coaches association for the qualified teams are: 1. Edina; 2. Wayzata; 4. Rosemount; 5. Moorhead; 6. Stillwater Area; 7. Burnsville; 8. Andover; 11. Owatonna; and 12. Roseville Area.

In the individual competition, senior Aaron Bartnik of Eden Prairie returns to defend his title. He was also ranked No. 1 in the final coaches poll. In addition to Bartnik, three other 2009 Top 10 finishers also return: junior Cole O’Brien of Burnsville, fourth; senior Adam Zutz of St. Francis, sixth; and senior Mohamed Mohamed of Eden Prairie, eighth. Moorhead senior Lukas Gemar, who took top honors in 2008, also returns to this year’s field; he placed 31st last year.

O’Brien was ranked No. 2 in the final coaches poll. Zutz was No. 4, Gemar was No. 6, and Mohamed was No. 11.

Class AA Girls Highlights
Elk River, which includes students from Zimmerman, returns to defend its 2009 team title. The Elks have seven runners with previous state meet experience. Ten additional teams also return from last year’s field: Lakeville North, Lakeville South, Chanhassen, Shakopee, Rosemount, Prior Lake, Roseville Area, Mounds View, Eden Prairie, and Monticello.

Teams from East Ridge of Woodbury, Andover, Wayzata, Forest Lake, and Brainerd round out this year’s Class AA field.

The final rankings from the state coaches association for the qualified teams are: 1. Eden Prairie; 2. Monticello; 3. Andover; 4. Lakeville South; 6. Prior Lake; 7. Wayzata; 9. Lakeville North; 10. Chanhassen; 11. Shakopee; and 12. Rosemount.

Last year’s champion, sophomore Maria Hauger of Shakopee, leads the field of eight returning Top 10 finishers. The others are: Alexandria junior Jamie Piepenburg, third; Eden Prairie senior Megan Platner, fifth; Monticello junior Erica Seidenkranz, sixth; Andover sophomore Nicole Heitzman, seventh; Elk River senior Abbi Aspengren, eighth; Champlin Park sophomore Cassidy Soli, ninth; and Monticello ninth-grader Amber Seidenkranz, 10th.

Hauger was ranked No. 1 in the final coaches poll, followed by Piepenburg at No. 2 and Erica Seidenkranz at No. 3. Platner came in at No. 5, followed by Amber Seidenkranz at No. 7, Heitzman at No. 9, and Soli at No. 11.

The Schedule
The Class A boys’ race will start at 10 a.m., followed by the Class A girls’ race at 11 a.m. The Class AA boys’ race will start at 1 p.m., followed by the Class AA girls’ race at 2 p.m. A combined awards ceremony will take place approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the girls’ race in each class.

State Meet Parking & Directions
School teams, meet officials, media, and vehicles displaying handicapped passes will be allowed to park on the St. Olaf campus near the race course at Skoglund Athletic Center.

Spectator parking is available at four remote parking lots at the southeast end of St. Olaf campus. Large red signs will direct spectators to these lots. Shuttle service to and from campus will be provided from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The pickup and drop off points will be posted with large red “Bus Stop” signs.

To find St. Olaf College, take I-35 to the Highway 19/Northfield exit and drive east to the campus. Follow the signs toward the Skoglund Athletic Center. Display your news media confirmation notice to gain access to nearby parking. The media room is located in Conference Room 112 in Skoglund.

Meet results will be posted on the League’s Web site. The League’s Web site address is www.MSHSL.org.

Courtesy: Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL)