Fries 8:54 solo was robot-like (meant as compliment). 2s of variation across 8 laps if I’m not wrong.
A kid who doesn’t get a lot of press: Channing Goodwin (Rosemount). Overall the 16 was a bit of a slow start but he was in the top group at the line. If you haven’t seen TT state before, they run a 1600 as one massive heat of 36 kids. 2 hrs later: He was the fastest 3200 of a handful of guys that doubled in the 16 & 32, but still placed high and made a real contribution to that race.
Also Berndt’s #3 MN 800 came after his 1600 win. As a 10th grader that goes sub 50 in the 400 and sub 9:20 in 3200, he has the best range in MN. What will he do in next 2 years.?!? Scary.
Blaine HS now has a total of 5 state championships in school history. 40% of them were ‘25/‘26. Those boys had a good year :)
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I missed 10th grader RHA (Rocco Hawthorne Arroyo) from Edina! 2nd in 3200 and 4th in 1600 exchanging points with Goodwin. I dont recall him from '25 XC, but he looked TOUGH.
I missed 10th grader RHA (Rocco Hawthorne Arroyo) from Edina! 2nd in 3200 and 4th in 1600 exchanging points with Goodwin. I dont recall him from '25 XC, but he looked TOUGH.
During XC 2025, he qualified for state individually and was #2 on Edina behind Ohe. Ohe doesn’t do track, he does golf instead
A kid who doesn’t get a lot of press: Channing Goodwin (Rosemount). Overall the 16 was a bit of a slow start but he was in the top group at the line. If you haven’t seen TT state before, they run a 1600 as one massive heat of 36 kids. 2 hrs later: He was the fastest 3200 of a handful of guys that doubled in the 16 & 32, but still placed high and made a real contribution to that race.
I heard he’s a great hockey player as well.
Today, he ran a 9:18 at South Suburban conference. Ahead of Stuwe by 1 second.
A kid who doesn’t get a lot of press: Channing Goodwin (Rosemount). Overall the 16 was a bit of a slow start but he was in the top group at the line. If you haven’t seen TT state before, they run a 1600 as one massive heat of 36 kids. 2 hrs later: He was the fastest 3200 of a handful of guys that doubled in the 16 & 32, but still placed high and made a real contribution to that race.
I heard he’s a great hockey player as well.
Today, he ran a 9:18 at South Suburban conference. Ahead of Stuwe by 1 second.
That's really unfortunate to hear. I was counting on a rematch of the Hamline race at State in the 1600, along with seeing how Fries, Stuwe, and Flippen would match-up in the 3200 as they have not raced together in that event yet. Hope he heals up fully and has no lingering affects moving forward. He should be the top ranked runner in AAA going into next season.
If Flippen isn’t 100% this XC season, the AAA state title will be wide open like it was in 2021 and 2022. I don’t think anyone expected Aidan Jones to win in 2022
Shocking number of old people on this thread who were around in 1960 and are outraged at given Lindgren this record by means of an indoor converted time
Blaine HS now has a total of 5 state championships in school history. 40% of them were ‘25/‘26. Those boys had a good year :)
They were never a really strong program until about 5 years ago. Anyone know what changed? New coaching? New training philosophy? More interest in joining the team?
2022: Bengals 2nd @ sections and field second state qualifying team in 40+ years, led by River Santiago (11). Team didnt make top 10 at state.
2023: River & co are seniors, first time receiving votes, expectations high, but lost a tie for 2nd place at sections: no state. (2 JV guys ran faster than seniors). River, Connor Bialka (12) and David Meberg (9) individual qualifiers. River broke school record set by Ben Olson (SDSU, '24 OT marathon). Weekend long runs introduced: '25 & '26 buy-in. NXR: River first atthlete in Championship race.
2024: Booster Club started! :) Assistant coach Shawn Everson promoted to Head Coach. Training plans did a 180, race schedule updated, and weekend long runs continue. Meberg All-State (10) led team to 14th place finish. Nearly everybody back. NXR: Meh result
2025: Add Elijah Thomas (9th). Top 5 pre-season ranking. More Everson training/strategy enhancements. Lost to pretty much every team possible in Aug - Oct. Top 4 under 16 minutes at sections, 3x All-state (Meberg, Sulungaine, Burroughs). NXR: First championship race, finished in a snowy/icy 7th with 236 pts (3rd 220 pts).
2026: lose 1 All-state (Burroughs, NDSU), 4 of 7 returners. Lots of time between now and November. (PS: Watch out for Girls team this year)
To me a clear case of underclassmen engaged with successful upperclassmen while being surrounded by engaged coaching/leadership. No secret sauce.
Got a few 3200m sections result in from tonight...
1A- 3 extra qualifiers on girls side and 2 extra on boys side. Cotter with 3 guys at 9:26 or faster.
6AA- Delano girls go 1-2. Wirth and Munsch go 1-2 for guys in a negative split 9:28/9:30.
4AAA- Miller of Two Rivers wins in 11:20 and Stillwater's Amelia Bonestroo in 2nd. Bonestroo has had a great season including beating VanAcker and Ousidigan in their conference 3200 last week. Molinaro and Popp win boys race in 9:35/9:37. I don't see splits but most of the guys in the race were not as fast as expected.
6AAA- Gullickson casual 10:23 and Jazleen at 10:56. Boys race is interesting. Rocco continues his stellar season winning in 9:20 and Washburn's McVay behind in 9:21. Long list of guys between them how just missed the 9:24 standard. Guertin, Berndt, Chabot, Hering, and Lenton. Seemed to all be on pace through 2400m but maybe heat got to them. St. Louis Park's Tyber Augustine was 5th in 9:27- not a common name but having a strong track season.
I count 13 more section meets starting tomorrow including a handful of morning 3200s!
I have to think heat played a role in 6AAA boys race? I was honestly expecting potentially 6-8 guys to go sub 9:24.
With 2026 distance standards in AAA boys being the most reasonable in years, it would seem the universe has found a way to keep the state champ field under 24. Also, seems like an advantage to those morning 3200m races. We’ll see.
‘Hot’ take in girls 6AAA: Gullickson is obviously top of the class. 10:30 in that heat yesterday was impressive… around 60s ahead of 3rd place. Why not have her relax a bit and finish around 11:00 with Jasleen?
3AAA- LaMotte wins this morning in negative split 10:38. She did 16/8 last year and went 2:08 earlier this indoor so I am excited for her 1600/3200 double at state vs Gullickson. Might be the races of the state weekend! Goodwin goes 9:21 and Eastview's Bakken goes 9:25 in a big PB.
2AA- Friedrich goes 10:51 and Marshall's Leibfried at 11:22. Bortnem and Deutz both go 9:27 on the guy's side. Mankato East's Essler is extra qualifier in 9:34 (standard is 9:36). Maybe the the 9:15am start time was beneficial for him as opposed to an afternoon heater.
3AAA- LaMotte wins this morning in negative split 10:38. She did 16/8 last year and went 2:08 earlier this indoor so I am excited for her 1600/3200 double at state vs Gullickson. Might be the races of the state weekend! Goodwin goes 9:21 and Eastview's Bakken goes 9:25 in a big PB.
2AA- Friedrich goes 10:51 and Marshall's Leibfried at 11:22. Bortnem and Deutz both go 9:27 on the guy's side. Mankato East's Essler is extra qualifier in 9:34 (standard is 9:36). Maybe the the 9:15am start time was beneficial for him as opposed to an afternoon heater.
Always nice to see an extra qualifier, I know there is a lot that goes into all this, would be nice to see all 3200s in the am if possible
I heard Como unleashed a goon to take out Blake's #1? Thats what it sounds like anyways. Como 3rd guy finished 4th, DQ'd and Blake gets third, no Q. While legal, feels super sus.