COLLEGIATE SHOWDOWN — St. Olaf College’s Penn Sagedahl (163), Hamline University’s Will Saari (127), South Dakota State’s Andrew Moeller (133), South Dakota State’s Hannah Neusch (second from right) and Augustana University’s Laura Thompson (137) battle during the early stages of the 2-mile run during Saturday’s Fairmont Community Education and Recreation’s Summer Run on Bob Bonk Track at the Fairmont High School campus. (Photo by Charlie Sorrells)

FAIRMONT — Friendly rivalries and families reunions proved the themes of Saturday’s 43rd annual Fairmont Community Education and Recreation’s Summer Run on the Fairmont High School campus.

The 2-mile portion of the four-part competition transformed into a collegiate showdown, with Fairmont 15-year-old runner Jaydon Putney filtering into the top-six mix overall on Bob Bonk Track.

St. Olaf College’s Penn Sagedahl squared off against South Dakota State University’s Andrew Moeller and Hannah Neusch, Hamline University’s Will Saari, incoming Augustana University freshman Laura Thompson and Putney in a good-to-the-wire 3,200-meter race.

Sagedahl, who currently holds the annual running event’s 2-mile record in both the ages 16-19 bracket (10:19) and 20-29 division (9:58), posted the No. 1 overall fastest time in his specialty on Saturday with a time of 10:07.

Moeller, who still holds the CER Summer Run’s 2-mile mark of 10:56 for runners age 15 and younger, captured runner-up honors Saturday with a showing of 10:17, while Saari claimed the third spot individually by crossing the finish line in 11:04.

Thompson, who currently holds the event’s 5-mile record — 31:55 — for female runners age 18 and younger, etched her name into the 2-mile race’s No. 1 all-time fastest female divisional time by generating a 12:17 during Saturday’s competition. Thompson, who eclipsed Sara Carlson’s previous record of 12:45, captured fourth place overall.

Putney, an up-and-coming prep varsity distance runner for the Cardinals, claimed fifth place overall at 3,200 meters at 12:24, while Neusch rounded out the college showcase battle by garnering sixth place overall with a time of 12:52.

The 2-mile race also consisted of a passing of the torch to a family member when Fairmont’s Dayton Draper celebrated his 14th birthday on Saturday by producing a 13th-place overall time of 15:06. Draper placed one spot ahead of his mother, Hadassah Peters, during the 3,200-meter competition. Peters posted a time of 15:38.

“It’s the first time he’s ever beaten me in a race, and I almost teared up when he passed me along the course,” Peters said in reference to Draper. “It was definitely an emotional moment for a proud mom like me.”

Hadassah Peters still shares the annual event’s No. 1 time of 14:31 with Kaia Jones in the ages 20-29 division’s 2-mile race.

Prior to the 2-mile competition, Mason McDonald — Andrew Moeller’s track & field teammate at SDSU — put his long-distance racing skills on display by outdueling 15-year-old phenom Ryan Pierson and Hamline University’s Connor Artner in the 5-mile run.

McDonald captured the gold medal by breaking the tape in a winning time of 26:48, Pierson pocketed the silver with a runner-up mark of 28:25, while Artner garnered the bronze medal with the third and final sub 30-minute time of 29:53 on Saturday.

Pierson, who represented St. James Area’s program last fall, placed 28th during the 2021 Class A state cross country meet’s 5,000-meter run with a time of 17:16.25.

“Andrew ran a race in my hometown of Omaha (Nebraska) earlier this summer, so I came down here today for the first time to compete in his hometown’s run,” said McDonald. “Being his college roommate and teammate, I’ve heard a lot about Fairmont during the past three years, so it’s nice to finally get the chance to run here.”

Connor Artner then unofficially returned to the starting line to join his brother Gavin and father Ben Artner in a family-paced 2-mile run. Ben Artner officially finished 22nd in 17:38, Gavin Artner posted an identical time and Connor Artner just seemed to enjoy the quality bonding time with his family members on the course.

Sherwood Sagedahl, who currently holds CER Summer Run’s 2-mile record in the age 70 and older division at 14:25; Mark Peters, who’s 69 years young; and 73 years young coaching legend Bob Bonk each proved that age does not hinder solid showings in the 2-mile by claiming 19th (16:52), 20th (17:08) and 21st (17:34), respectively.

Carter Simmering established a new record for half-milers in the age 11 and younger bracket by claiming second overall in 2:58. Simmering’s second-place overall time eclipsed Kolton Larson’s prior mark of 3:02.

2022 Fairmont Summer Run

5-Mile Division: 1. Mason McDonald 26:48; 2. Ryan Pierson 28:25; 3. Connor Artner 29:53; 4. Andrew Hasek 30:19; 5. Joel Sagedahl 31:47; 6. Kody Wassman 34:02; 7. Gavin Artner 34:11; 8. Brier Lenort 34:11; 9. Neil Hanson 34:52; 10. McKenzie Terfehr 35:03; 11. Jennifer Bromeland 35:13; 12. Will Niestrath 36:08; 13. Corey Goodrich 36:12; 14. Macy Hanson 36:47; 15. Andrew Haugen 37:35; 16. Leah Hartung 37:37; 17. Ben Moeller 38:20; 18. Dennis Katzer 38:26; 19. Crystal Hanson 42:30; 20. Esther Zech 47:57; 21. Dan Burns 48:35; 22. Dan Engeman 48:41; 23. Dexter Prechel 57:01; 24. Haley Knudtson 68:43; 25. Bethany Miller 74:14.

2-Mile Division: 1. Penn Sagedahl 10:07; 2. Andrew Moeller 10:17; 3. Will Saari 11:04; 4. Laura Thompson 12:17; 5. Jaydon Putney 12:24; 6. Hannah Neusch 12:52; 7. Landon Weber 12:57; 8. Cooper Gudahl 13:43; 9. Judah Peters 14:21; 10. Season Kotewa 14:32; 11. Andrew Haugen 14:42; 12. Ben Moeller 14:49; 13. Dayton Draper 15:06; 14. Hadassah Peters 15:38; 15. Devin Hanson 16:04; 16. Sarah Jensen 16:13; 17. Mia Miller 16:28; 18. Erik Burnison 16:33; 19. Sherwood Sagedahl 16:52; 20. Mark Peters 17:08; 21. Bob Bonk 17:34; 22. Ben Artner 17:38; 23. Gavin Artner 17:38; 24. Laurie Tostrud 17:57; 25. Paige DeBoer 18:02; 26. Kendra Blomster 18:03; 27. Cindy Viesselman 23:34; 28. Clint Forsbrook 29:23.

Half-Mile Division: 1. Carter Hanson 2:44; 2. Carter Simmering 2:58; 3. Cole Hanson 3:05; 4. Levi Hanson 3:05; 5. Ryan Thompson 3:08; 6. Grant Simmering 3:18; 7. Gordon Rolling 3:28.

Quarter-Mile Division: 1. Henry Hartung 1:36; 2. McRea Bromeland 1:39; 3. Levi Nelson 1:47; 4. Jace Busiahn 1:52; 5. Anna Hanson 1:54; 6. Beatrice Bromeland 1:54; 7. Ezra Gruba 2:01; 8. Hayden Hartung 2:03; 9. Allyson Miller 2:26; 10. Wally Greco 2:44; 11. Marcus Miller 3:04; 12. Lillian Zech 3:10; 13. Elianna Zech 3:10.