×

No. 3-ranked Cardinals look to defend state running crown

FAIRMONT — Contrary to Murphy’s law, everything that could go right did go right for the Fairmont girls cross country team last season.

The Cardinals lost only two meets and won the Class A state cross country championship for the first time since 1988. That year, the team went undefeated.

“The five girls who scored each had kind of a unique situation from Jenna Pavich’s knee surgery to Laura Thompson just being in seventh grade to Iliana Ramon moving back to town and so on. If any one of those five girls who were in the top five at the state meet would not have done something remarkable and higher than expected from July to November, we wouldn’t have won,” Cardinals head coach Bob Bonk said. “We had just tremendous help all fall among the top girls. Everything just went perfectly.”

This season, the Cardinals are without Pavich and Molly Hawkins, who were both top five finishers to help in the win, and Emily Haugen. The trio will be missed, but Bonk said there are runners already filling in those spots. The senior captains, specifically, are Iliana Ramon, Megan Hawkins and Emma Kahler, who have been on the team since their middle school years and are “doing a wonderful job.”

“They’re all really good role models and leaders. They each have their own little niche and different personalities,” Bonk said. “They’re a good group.”

As the season starts, the Cardinals don’t feel pressure to defend their title, but focus more on the journey before them, starting by hosting the Early Bird Invite at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Fairmont High School before competing in the Mountain Lake Invite five days later. Much of the team’s success has to do with its chemistry and training, which has stood through the test of times.

“A lot of times, if it’s working, you don’t fix too much,” Bonk said. “We always tweak a few things here or there, but we believe in our training program and what we’re doing.”

The Minnesota High School Cross Country Coaches preseason Class A poll, released Monday, has Fairmont ranked third behind Annandale and Perham, respectively. Perham was the state runner-up with Annandale finishing third.

“In a way, I’m glad we’re not ranked No. 1, and I don’t think we should be based on what some of the other teams have coming back,” Bonk said. “Even though we only lost two who actually ran in the state (meet) of the seven, Annandale didn’t lose anybody, Perham only lost one. So, the other top teams probably have as much or more coming back than we do.”

Fairmont does, however, return junior Sarah Krumholz, who had the fastest time among the Cardinals at the state meet, and eighth-grader Laura Thompson in addition to Iliana Ramon. Bonk believes the three will be the team’s top runners throughout the season.

As a whole, the Cardinals have a strong team with several varsity spots up for grabs. Among those in the varsity mix are freshman Tabitha Thatcher and seniors Lizzy Subbert, Megan Hawkins and Anna Sundblad.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.65/week.

Subscribe Today