Girls CC hopes to peak at Section 2AA meet

New Prague High School’s girls cross country team will compete in the Section 2AA meet Thursday, Oct. 24, in Buffalo.

            The Trojans are hoping to finish high among the field of 15 teams that will be competing for two team spots and eight individual spots in next week’s State Class AA cross country meet. That meet will be held Saturday, Nov. 2, at St. Olaf College in Northfield.

            The Trojans are coming off a seventh place finish at the Missota Conference Championships, which they hosted at Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

            Chanhassen won the Missota title with a team score of 46 points, well ahead of second place Chaska, which had 77. Shakopee was third with 88, followed by Red Wing (91), Farmington (124), Northfield (125), New Prague (157) and Holy Angels (175).

            Shakopee’s Tess Misgen was the medalist, finishing the 4,000-meter course in 14 minutes, 55 seconds. That was eight seconds better than Anastasia Korzenowski of Chanhassen.

            Trojan sophomore Maria Berg finished eighth overall, in 15:30. Ashley Altschul was 28th, finishing in 16:36. Other Trojan runners were Bridget Ellanson (36th, 17:03), Ella Grote (42nd, 17:28), Abby Milinkovich (43rd, 17:30), Korey Wilson (45th, 17:34) and Elisa Johnson (53rd, 18:13).

            The Trojan JV also finished seventh. Trojan runners were Rachel Wormer (29th, 18:20), Jen  Theis (33rd, 18:37), Mikayla Giles (35th, 18:31), Mary Russell (36th, 18:46), Katie Hummel (44th, 19:24), Joselin Wacker (46th, 19:58) and Sydney Haines (47th, 20:39).

            Coach Shawn Brandt said the girls continue to improve as a team and as individuals, but they ran into some tough competition at the meet.

            “Our top five improved their average time by 15 seconds,” he said.

            Berg led the Trojans with another gutsy performance, earning all-conference honors. Altschul also ran aggressively in the challenging Cedar Lake course, and the other Trojan runners continue to improve. Korey Wilson cut 19 seconds off her previous time on the course.

            “We train to peak at the end of the season, and this team is showing they are ready for the Section 2AA meet,” he said.

            In addition to the Trojans, other teams at the section meet include Buffalo, Chanhassen, Chaska, Dassel-Cokato, Delano, Hutchinson, Mankato East, Mankato West, Marshall, Mound Westonka, Orono, Shakopee, Waconia and Worthington.