I saw the start didn’t really catch the end of the pack as I left to get try get over to 1k ish. I’m not exactly sure who’s who but looked like a purple/dark blue singlet went down towards the front and a few got around him but as he tried to get up ended up completely taking out tall dark haired two rivers athlete (yellow top black bottoms correct me if I’m wrong) who hit the ground pretty hard face first. I left soon after but he was on the ground for a couple of seconds before the pack thinned out I didn’t really think anyone else went down over him but that’s all I saw.
I'm pretty sure Ethan Vargas, who ran for Stillwater and won the individual title at the showcase in 2020, lived in Wisconsin as well. Makes sense as Stillwater is right on the river.
Alexandria's top guy was 105th! Wow, great to see the whole state geographically represented, but there were a lot of better teams that sat at home Saturday. Looks like they return all 7 runners for next year.
In 2015 it was more ridiculous. Wayzata and Edina didn’t make state from 6AA, but both teams ended up making at NXN that year and placed in the top 10. Washburn and Hopkins qualified, and interestingly enough, all 4 of these teams are in the same section this year
Alexandria's top guy was 105th! Wow, great to see the whole state geographically represented, but there were a lot of better teams that sat at home Saturday. Looks like they return all 7 runners for next year.
In 2015 it was more ridiculous. Wayzata and Edina didn’t make state from 6AA, but both teams ended up making at NXN that year and placed in the top 10. Washburn and Hopkins qualified, and interestingly enough, all 4 of these teams are in the same section this year
before AAA, 6AA would have 2-4 ranked teams almost every year not making it out of the section
Alexandria's top guy was 105th! Wow, great to see the whole state geographically represented, but there were a lot of better teams that sat at home Saturday. Looks like they return all 7 runners for next year.
In 2015 it was more ridiculous. Wayzata and Edina didn’t make state from 6AA, but both teams ended up making at NXN that year and placed in the top10. Washburn and Hopkins qualified, and interestingly enough, all 4 of these teams are in the same section this year
Erik has come on strong late in the season after underwhelming results early on. I'm out of the loop on Heartland runners, but I'd imagine a 2nd MN guy would have a shot at qualifying. Quentin and Fries a strong 1-2, then after that? I'll have to do some more research. Have to think Blaine has an outside shot after Sioux Falls Lincoln
Lenn from WI qualified last year and won state this year, so he should be able to qualify again
Interesting implications if they would have used combined enrollment. The three A teams probably go into 2AA, 1AA, and 7AA. St. Paul Academy to 4A, Math and Science to 4A, and Milaca to 5A get moved around. Hutchinson probably goes to 6AA, Red Wing or Northfield gets moved 3AA. Probably one spot in 3AA vacated by SPA or Math and Science ends up with Blake or Minneapolis Southwest. State meet could have looked different. Delano girls in if SW moved. If Blake gets relocated then the Blake boys might have got in over Simley or Minnehaha.
Also, using the number of students on free & reduced lunch as part of the athletic class formula allows larger schools to go down a class, as with several top Class A finishers.
Some quick Class A thoughts looking through results:
Boys:
Cotter going 1-2-3 individually is outstanding. Last time done that I can find is in 1999 by Staples-Motley trio. Tough to do that and not have your team win..
Semling 2nd fastest time today, only behind Fries. Fastest state time ever by sophomore.
I was told Lev fell with 50m to go in the race. 3rd place at the time but still managed to get up and finish 9th.
LARPH with 67 points is lowest Class A score since 2018. 6 guys under 16:50. Team title never really in doubt.
No big team surprises. Bertha-Hewitt and GNK higher than expected. Litchfield and Nighthawks lower than expected.
Girls:
Insane going to a tiebreaker. When was last time that happened to win a state title? Hasn't happened in the last 10 years but sure it has happened before.
Cathedral in 5th at the mile and 70 points behind NLS in 1st.
Neither NLS or Cathedral had great days, which left the door for Loyola-Cleveland to get close. They were just 7 points away from winning, great run by them.
Again, no huge surprises on teams finishing order. Barnesville and Lake City higher than expected. Nighthawks and Providence a little lower.
Duffy and Brownell were together with 600m to go before Duffy pulled away.
10 Class A girls broke 19 minutes today- most in Class A race since switch to 5k in 2015.
Importing girls results in my spreadsheet and noticed only 159 girls in the A race. GNK only ran 6 girls because their #3 runner from sections was out. With her in, they probably go from 10th to 6th.
But more interesting is that if she was in the race, there is a reasonable chance she finishes ahead of New London-Spicer #5 but behind Cathedral's #5...meaning that would have given Cathedral the win.
I know that is a lot of projecting, but when the race comes down to a tie, tiny things like that make a difference! Just though it was interesting and wanted to share.
I feel like Fries, Nauman, and Lenn will make it, after that it could be any number of runners to get the final couple of spots. I'll go with either Peters, Decker, Merrick, or Dunham for the final spots. Hope to see Stuwe and Semling run well but think its a stretch for them to qualify. I doubt any Minnesota teams qualify but hopefully Blaine and Wayzata show well.
Fun day out there in cold. Wayzata boys with a strong day finishing 3rd. Made a list of the top 12 MN boys, hopefully didn't miss someone kind of hard to tell with unofficial team names.
1st Sean Fries Minnetonka 14:55 11th Erik Semling Cotter 15:32 24th Thomas Berndt Wayzata 15:51 (what a huge race for him) 27th David Meberg Blaine 15:58 28th Thomas McVay Washburn 15:59 29th Tyler Flippen Andover 16:00 31st Ben Clark Como Park 16:02 32nd Israel Sulugaine Blaine 16:04 35th Charlie Loth Como Park 16:05 41st Owen Stuwe Shakopee 16:10.0 42nd Lliam Merrel Burnsville 16:10.1 45th Gabe Hallen Orono 16:11
Boys Teams in the championship race 3- Wayzata 7- Blaine 12- Perham 18- Edina 19- Minnetonka 20- Como Park 21- Cotter 22- MPLS Washburn 25- Rosemount 31- Two Rivers
Top 2 MN teams (Wayzata and Blaine) placed higher than the top 2 MN teams (Minnetonka and Mounds View) did last year. Not as much depth for MN teams as last year though. Edina 4th MN team in the race is a surprise. They didn’t even make state this year. Cotter did really well here. Their 5th runner at the state meet was actually their 4th runner here.
Last year Minnetonka was 6th and was only 19 points from 5th last year. but yes Blaine's score was lower than Tonka's (2024) 256-280.
Also Edina has had a history of finishing the season well at NXR so not really that surprising they should've been ranked even when they didn't make it to state they were in a loaded section
Fun day out there in cold. Wayzata boys with a strong day finishing 3rd. Made a list of the top 12 MN boys, hopefully didn't miss someone kind of hard to tell with unofficial team names.
1st Sean Fries Minnetonka 14:55 11th Erik Semling Cotter 15:32 24th Thomas Berndt Wayzata 15:51 (what a huge race for him) 27th David Meberg Blaine 15:58 28th Thomas McVay Washburn 15:59 29th Tyler Flippen Andover 16:00 31st Ben Clark Como Park 16:02 32nd Israel Sulugaine Blaine 16:04 35th Charlie Loth Como Park 16:05 41st Owen Stuwe Shakopee 16:10.0 42nd Lliam Merrel Burnsville 16:10.1 45th Gabe Hallen Orono 16:11
Really nice race for Berndt, bright future ahead to lead Wayzata the next two years. Good race for Semling as well and Ben Clark.
Was nice to see Wayzata get 3rd, not too far from 2nd. Edina proved why they deserved to be in the championship race. Cotter ran really well for a small school team too and Perham continues to impress year after year like Wayzata.
Do we know who is running Brooks? Fries looking to double after placing so well at Footlocker last year? Any other Minnesotans have a shot at qualifying?
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