MOUNTAIN LAKE - The Fairmont Cardinals proved they could hold their own against some of the strongest cross country teams in southern Minnesota on Wednesday.
The Cardinal boys ended up placing second as a team with 119 points, while the Cardinal girls notched third place with 79 during the Wolverine Classic at Mountain Lake Golf Course in Mountain Lake.
Blue Earth Area placed third in the boys' field with 130, while the Bucs girls were fourth with 140. The Martin County West boys finished ninth with 218 points and the Maverick girls were ninth with 271.
Waseca pocketed the boys team title with 85, while Adrian won the girls title with 28, holding off Waseca's runner-up 45.
"Our (boys) place was really good, but as a group we ran better last week (Friday at Early Bird Invite). ... Last Friday was really up and this was a little below average of what we can do, but I was happy with the place," said Fairmont head coach Bob Bonk.
Sam Viesselman led Bonk's lineup by placing 14th overall in 18:21, while Ron Reynolds finished in 20th in 18:49. Justin McMurtry claimed 24th place in 19:02, while Kevin Hanson returned to the varsity lineup and took 29th in 19:15. Robby Riley rounded out Fairmont's counting varsity totals by taking 32nd place in 19:36 in the varsity/junior varsity combined race.
Riley Holmseth topped the Bucs by taking 13th place in 18:16, while Wade Wilhelmi was 17th in 18:30 and Aaron Wilhelmi took 28th in 19:14. Mike Ankeny (31st, 19:33) and Brandon Christians (41st, 20:00) completed the Bucs' counting totals.
Martin County West boasted three runners in the top dozen.
Matt Stoffel led the way by taking fifth place in 17:41, while teammate Adam Kleine tallied the same time and placed sixth. Walter Fuller ended up finishing 12th in 18:11. Lucas Stoffel took 90th in 22:47 and Daniel Smith was 101st in 23:42 for the final couting time.
Worthington's Mubarik Musa claimed the individual crown in 16:34.
For the girls, Adrian proved to be the toughest overall team on the course, but the Cardinals' Lauren Friese continued her dominant ways individually.
Adrian's Jordan Kopplow claimed the overall individual title in 14:32, but Friese battled her the entire race and led Fairmont by placing second in 15:07.
"At least to be in the neck of the woods with them (Waseca, Adrian) was encouraging. ... All of the top (Fairmont) five ran really well. Lauren was battling for first all the way and ran 30 seconds better than a year ago," said Bonk.
Lovisa Gronros was Fairmont's No. 2 runner as she crossed the finish line in 16:30, while Laura Hamp notched a 14th-place finish in 16:41. Justine Gerdts also placed in the top 20 as she ended her 4K jaunt in 17:04 for 18th place. Tori Harris rounded out the Cardinals' counting runners by taking 34th in 18:03.
Blue Earth Area displayed successful pack running with four of its top five runners finishing six places from each other.
Marissia Hagedorn led the way by taking 21st in 17:14, with Courtney Grandgenett in 22nd at 17:16. Rylee Wagner ended up in 24th in 17:19 and LaNay Walker was 26th in 17:26. Mimi Matejka rounded out the Buc placers in 47th at 18:45.
Rachel Viesselman led the way for the Mavericks, finishing 27th in 17:39. Sarah Wohlford placed 36th in 18:10 and Liz Alsworth was 62nd in 19:40. Noel Bjerken took 73rd place in 19:02 and Jessica Kluver rounded out the MCW varsity-scoring lineup by taking 89th place in 21:26.
Fairmont and Blue Earth Area compete in the Montgomery-Lonsdale Invite on Thursday, Sept. 9, in Montgomery. Martin County West competes in the Meet of Champions on Saturday, Sept. 11, at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D.
WOLVERINE CLASSIC
VARSITY/JV GIRLS
4K - 115 finishers.
Team results: 1. Adrian 28; 2. Waseca 45; 3. Fairmont 79; 4. Blue Earth Area 140; 5. United South Central/Alden-Conger 180; 6. Jackson County Central 196; 7. Mountain Lake/Butterfield-Odin 200; 8. Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial/Nicollet 249; 9. Martin County West 271; 10. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 320; 11. Murray County Central 327; 12. Worthington 330.
Top 10: 1. Jordan Kopplow (Adrian) 14:32; 2. Lauren Friese (Fairmont) 15:07; 3. Morgan Larson (Waseca); 4. Sally O'Brien (Waseca); 5. Austyn Thier (Adrian); 6. Megan Sauer (Adrian); 7. Nicole Slater (Adrian); 8. Tara Roelofs (LCWM/N); 9. Morgan Sauer (Adrian); 10. Allie Hadley (Waseca).
Other Fairmont results: 11. Lovisa Gronros 16:30; 14. Laura Hamp 16:41; 18. Justine Gerdts 17:04; 34. Tori Harris 18:03; 45. Jaclyn Friese 18:40; 59. Andrea Betts 19:14; 80. April Boehne 20:28; 85. Abby Rahm 20:59; 86. Brenna Wohlrabe 21:00; 92. Rachel Poppe 21:45.
BEA results: 21. Marissia Hagedorn 17:14; 22. Courtney Grandgenett 17:16; 24. Rylee Wagner 17:19; 26. LaNay Walker 17:26; 47. Mimi Matejka 18:45; 61. Signe Olson 19:19; 71. Sierra Halverson 19:52; 74. Cassie Thompson 20:04; 76. Kelly Aukes 20:18; 78. Mackenzie Determan 20:20; 82. Lindsey Ankeny 19:27; 83. Lauren Thompson 19:27; 95. Anna Aukes 21:52; 97. Mara Fenske 21:53; 112. Josselyn Martinez 24:13; 114. Ezma Blok 28:36; 115. Bess Clement 29:20.
MCW results: 27. Rachel Viesselman 17:39; 36. Sarah Wohlford 18:10; 62. Liz Alsworth 19:40; 73. Noel Bjerken 19:02; 89. Jessica Kluver 21:26; 104. Arisa Johnson 22:30; 108. Mackenzie Merrill 23:18.
VARSITY/JV BOYS
5K - 132 finishers.
Team results: 1. Waseca 85; 2. Fairmont 119; 3. Blue Earth Area 130; 4. Jackson County Central 145; 5. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 189; 6. Murray Co. Central 199; 7. Adrian 202; 8. USC/AC 217; 9. Martin Co. West 218; 10. Maple River 237; 11. Windom Area 255; 12. Worthington 257; 13. MLBO 288; 14. LCWM/Nicollet 367.
Top 10: 1. Mubarik Musa (Worthington) 16:34; 2. O.J. Ojulla (Worthington); 3. Shane Streich (Waseca); 4. Justin Cook (JCC); 5. Matt Stoffel (MCW) 17:41; 6. Adam Kleine (MCW) 17:41; 7. Marc Strom (JCC); 8. Jesse Delgado (Waseca); 9. John Curley (WA); 10. Taylor Klassen (MLBO).
Fairmont results: 14. Sam Viesselman 18:21; 20. Ron Reynolds 18:49; 24. Justin McMurtry 19:02; 29. Kevin Hanson 19:15; 32. Robby Riley 19:36; 49. Joe Fujan 20:28; 58. Robert Hamp 20:48; 74. Jeremy Botzet 21:44; 75. Christian Sovell 21:44; 96. Payton Schlomann 23:01; 99. Christopher Poush 23:26; 106. Cole Huinker 23:52; 119. Riley Higgins 25:53; 121. Harley Luhmann 27:03.
BEA results: 13. Riley Holmseth 18:16; 17. Wade Wilhelmi 18:30; 28. Aaron Wilhelmi 19:14; 31. Mike Ankeny 19:33; 41. Brandon Christians 20:00; 47. Jesse Alleven 20:26; 50. Jake Zebedee 20:28; 76. Isaac Vasquez 21:45; 78. Korey Frandle 21:53; 89. Ben Krussow 22:47; 100. Hans Kittleson 23:52; 102. Alvin Goraczkowski 23:37; 111. Colan Surratt 24:24; 125. Kyle Mercer 27:52; 128. Luke Loveall 29:46.
MCW results: 12. Walter Fuller 18:11; 90. Lucas Stoffel 22:47; 101. Daniel Smith 23:42; 107. Michael Casias 23:57; 131. Darren Bettin 30:35; 132. Austin Gowen 33:58.
JR. HIGH GIRLS
1 mile - 60 finishers.
Team results: 1. Fairmont 76; 2. Mountain Lake/Butterfield-Odin 97; 3. Blue Earth Area 113; 4. Martin County West 124; 5. Worthington 126.
Winner: Lydia Hildebrandt (MLBO) 5:56.
Fairmont results: 9. Jenna Klages 6:28; 10. Sarah Ostlie 6:37; 11. Katiana Fischer 6:38; 24. Sasha Riley 7:19; 25. MaKenzie Harris 7:20; 27. Sarah Bartz 7:22; 46. Hannah Olson 8:09; 52. Emily Haugen 8:42; 53. Molly Hawkins 8:47; 54. Emilee Moeller 8:54; 56. Miranda Mathiason 9:10; 57. Julie Fleming 9:19; 60. Bailey Dulas 13:09.
JR HIGH BOYS
5K - 64 finishers.
Team results: 1. Martin County West 31; 2. Mountain Lake/Butterfield-Odin 96; 3. Waseca 141; 4. Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial/Nicollet 163; 5. Maple River 188; 6. Fairmont 190; 7. Blue Earth Area 224; 8. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 224.
Winner: Dylan Brockman (MCW) 5:23.
Fairmont results: 11. Josiah Johnson 5:59; 37. Kaleb Linse 6:32; 40. Evan Klujeski 6:43; 50. Lucas Jedlicka 7:04; 52. Tyler Johnson 7:11; 54. Colin Meadows 7:15.
