This story is sponsored by: Chips Hamburgers of Marshfield and Wisconsin Rapids
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
ATHENS – The Colby girls and Athens boys cross country teams are heading to the state meet after winning titles at the 2021 WIAA Division 3 Cross Country Sectional at Erbach Park on Saturday.
Led by sectional champion Daisy Feiten, the Colby girls finished with 54 points as the five top Hornet runners all ended up in the top 20. Bonduel was second with 76 points to also earn a spot at the 2021 WIAA State Cross Country Championships at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids next Saturday, Oct. 30.
Feiten won in 20:20.3, two seconds ahead of Gillett’s Carleigh Kaczmarek, who earned one of the five individual qualifying spots at state. The top two teams and top five finishers not on those teams will participate at state.
Marathon’s Julianna Thurs finished fourth (20:24.3), Gillett’s Angela Mosconi was fifth (20:32.1), Suring’s Olivia Noack took sixth (20:39.5) and Three Lakes’ Sophia Nafziger finished ninth (20:51.6) to earn the other individual qualifying positions.
Willow Oehmichen took seventh (20:46.5), Mercedes Sarkkinen was 12th (21:24.6), Trinity Severson was 17th (21:46.7) and Makenna Herrmann was 20th (21:57.0) for the Colby girls.
Marathon was third with 80 points, Stratford fourth with 90, and Edgar 10th with 241 in the team standings.
Stratford’s Ella Heidmann just missed out on an individual qualifying spot, taking 10th in 21:18.0, 27 seconds behind Nafziger and the final state berth. Kayla Casperson took 16th (21:42.3) and Breleigh Skaya was 18th (21:48.5) to earn top-20 finishes for Stratford.
Athens had its five scoring runners finish in the top 23 to edge Marathon for the team title 70-85. Both move on to the state meet. Stratford was a distant third with 111, and Edgar had an complete squad.
Nathan Wolf finished seventh (17:54.8) and Andrew Scharer was ninth (18:01.8) to lead the Athens boys.
Lance Krieg finished 10th (18:06.4), Ethan Heeg was 13th (18:15.1) and Cree Defoe took 15th (18:16.6) for the Stratford boys.
The Division 3 boys race will be at 1:10 p.m. and the girls race at 3:05 p.m. at the state meet.
2021 WIAA Division 3 Cross Country Sectional
Oct. 23, at Erbach Park, Athens
(*denotes state meet qualifier)
Boys
Team scores: *1. Athens 70; *2. Marathon 85; 3. Stratford 111; 4. Gillett 136; 5. Coleman 141; 6. Bonduel 141; 7. Crandon 164; 8. Oconto 171; 9. Crivitz 189; 10. Wittenberg-Birnamwood 190; 11. Goodman-Pembine 231; Edgar, Gresham/Bowler, Laona/Wabeno, Lena/St. Thomas, Marion, Three lakes and Wausaukee incomplete.
Top 10, and Stratford finishers: *1. Alex Peterson (GIL) 16:35.1; *2. Taylor Karcz (CR) 17:17.8; *3. Evan Peterson (GIL) 17:30.3; *4. Cooper Uelmen (BON) 17:35.1; 5. Jacob Smith (MAR) 17:44.3; *6. Sam Lieuwen (CR) 17:52.3; 7. Nathan Wolf (ATH) 17:54.8; 9. Andrew Schaer (ATH) 18:01.8; 10. Lance Krieg (ST) 18:06.4; 13. Ethan Heeg (ST) 18:15.1; 15. Cree Defoe (ST) 18:16.6; 33. Brett Bangart (ST) 19:37.6; 44. Kaden Foster (ST) 20:17.8; 58. Tanner Oertel (ST) 21:13.7; 70. Derek Wiese (ST) 23:09.3.
Girls
Team scores: *1. Colby 54; *2. Bonduel 76; 3. Marathon 80; 4. Stratford 90; 5. Gillett 99; 6. Suring 185; 7. Oconto 203; 8. Coleman 210; 9. Crandon 210; 10. Edgar 241; 11. Marion 342; Athens, Crivitz, Goodman-Pembine, Laona/Wabeno, Lena/St. Thomas, Three Lakes, Wittenberg-Birnamwood incomplete.
Top 10, and Stratford finishers: 1. Daisy Feiten (COLBY) 20:20.3; *2. Carleigh Kaczmarek (GIL) 20:22.3; 3. Ashlyn Kurey (BON) 20:22.9; *4. Julianna Thurs (MAR) 20:24.3; *5. Angela Mosconi (GIL) 20:32.1; *6. Olivia Noack (SUR) 20:39.5; 7. Willow Oehmichen (COLBY) 20:46.5; 8. Kendra Troxel (BON) 20:48.7; *9. Sophia Nafziger (TL) 20:51.6; 10. Ella Heidmann (ST) 21:18.0; 16. Kayla Casperson (ST) 21:42.3; 18. Breleigh Skaya (ST) 21:48.5; 26. Samantha Mielke (ST) 22:29.3; 27. Kressa Wenzel (ST) 22:32.8; 35. Sarah Zuelke (ST) 22:56.0; 42. Lydia Golbach (ST) 23:11.7.