Cardinals kick off cross-country season at the Early Bird
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FAIRMONT - The Early Bird Invite held on Fairmont High School's campus is a clear indicator that cross country has officially started. 10 teams gathered at the grassy running area behind Mahoney Field on a warm Friday morning. Coaches were hoping to see what their long-distance athletes could do when facing outside competition - not just battling one another.
Cardinals cross country head coach Andrew Moeller, now entering his second season at the helm, was overall pleased with what he saw from both of his rosters. Both Fairmont teams finished the day with top-three finishes, with the girls placing second (63 points) and boys earning third (90 points).
It was a great way to start the season for the Cardinal runners. A foundation to build on as the rest of the fall campaign continues in the coming months.
Seeing growth
The first thing Moeller saw following the girls’ opening race was how much this unit has improved.
Even going back to last season's Section 2AA Championships, a roster returning the majority of its pieces seems to have taken a positive leap over the offseason. Friday's race had the evidence to back it up.
"I told the girls before the race that we are a better team right now than when we were at [last season's] section meet. And I think they really proved me correct," Moeller said. "Last year, just looking at some of our results [in the Early Bird Invite], our top runner got 22nd. This year, our fifth runner was 23rd. We made some huge jumps there."
Brooklyn Stone, Fairmont's top runner last season, looked even better during Friday's competition. Her sixth-place finish clocked in at 17:14.4, nearly two seconds better than what she did at the Early Bird Invite a year prior.
The early jump in development didn't catch Moeller off guard. He said that Stone has consistently put time in during the winter and spring months, vying to take a leap heading into her junior season.
"I definitely expected some big things with how hard she has been working. Not just this summer, but going back to last winter right after her cross country season," Moeller said. "This sport has delayed gratification. It's going to pay off at some point. And we are really starting to see the results."
Stone wasn't the only Cardinal with a high placement. Sophia Streit made her presence felt in what was the first cross-country race of her Fairmont High School career. The sophomore edged out the likes of JWP/WEM's Norah Welvaert and Jackson County Central's Naiya Ayers to finish 10th, clocking a time of 17:38.5.
Steit's debut was the perfect way to introduce oneself. Moeller, having coached her on the oval last spring, said he could see a result like this coming. His excitement for her addition to the team was warranted.
"A great addition was Sophie Steit getting 10th place and picking up the last medal in her first cross-country race in a Fairmont uniform," Moeller said. "I did expect her to be a real player and contender there. I got to coach her in track, and could tell she has that it factor when it comes to racing."
Ellie Drever (14th), Avery Steuber (20th) and Delaney Klug (23rd) were the final three point scorers for the girls. But Addison Lintelman (26th) and Annabelle Watson (37th) weren't too far behind, loading the middle of the pack with some solid results.
"We really just have a lot of potential point scorers on that squad," Moeller said. "There will be a lot of movement in positions with each other. But competition within the team is a good thing. And I'm excited to see them competing against other teams and each other."
Hanson's flex their muscles
Two names to look at heading into Fairmont's season were Cole and Devin Hanson. Both runners made an impact on last year's cross-country and track teams, going back and forth in different races to help the Cardinals succeed.
But after Friday's 5,000-meter race, it was Cole Hanson who led Fairmont's charge. The freshman didn't simply notch a team-high finish. He trounced the rest of the competition with ease.
"Obviously, the individual win is great on the boys’ side," Moeller said. "I think Cole, being a freshman, had a shot at doing it. He still had some solid competition. To see him actually execute and pull that off at such a young age is really great."
Cole Hanson's time of 13:17.7 bested St. Peter's Enzo Gazzola by 12 seconds. Devin Hanson earned a medal with his 10th-place time of 14:48.8. Both athletes are expected to be top runners for the Cardinals throughout the fall and nabbing low scores.
"Both of them being in the top 10 was great," Moeller said. "Having those high sticks in your point scorers is one of the ways you can do well at meets. Those guys just need to keep doing what they do."
Michael Hamlet and Isaac Laidig followed the Hansons with 14th- and 20th-place finishes, respectively. Fairmont rounded off its top five placements with Holden Junkermeier getting 47th. Leon Yang came closely behind in 48th, bested by his teammate by one second.
Moeller believes the back half of this lineup will continue to grow their fitness as more races come. Friday's results were just a starting point, setting a bar to beat heading into the Cardinals’ next competition at Mountain Lake.
"On the boys’ side, we are just piecing together that back end," Moeller said. "I really expect that to continue moving up as the season goes on."
Up Next
The Farimont cross-country team returns to action next Friday in the Mt. Lake Meet, held at Mt. Lake Golf Course. Their next home competition, the I-90 Invite, is scheduled for Thursday, October 8 at Cedar Creek Park.
Team results
Varsity/JV Girls 4k:
St. Peter – 24
Fairmont – 63
Mt. Lake Area/Comfrey – 96
Maple River – 99
Jackson County Central – 125
LCWM/Nicollet – 151
St. James – 165
Blue Earth Area – 181
Varsity/JV Boys 4k:
Mt. Lake Area/Comfrey – 63
St. Peter – 73
Fairmont – 90
JWP/WEM – 96
Tri-City United – 130
St. James – 140
Jackson County Central – 155
Maple River – 174
LCWM/Nicollet – 185
Blue Earth Area – 297