This story is sponsored by Forward Bank
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
SPENCER – Stevens Point swept the team championships and D.C. Everest’s Sara Mlodik won her third-straight title at the 2022 Wisconsin Valley Conference Cross Country Meet on Saturday at Frey Field. The meet was hosted by Marshfield.
The Stevens Point boys dominated as usual with the first seven runners crossing the finish line coming from the Panthers’ roster.
Wisconsin Rapids was a distant second with 85 points. Marshfield was sixth among the seven teams with 144 points, but did have two top-15 finishers. Thomas Cashmer was 12th in 17:38.4 and Joey Cashmer took 14th in 17:55.5 to earn honorable mention all-conference accolades.
Stevens Point has won every boys conference meet title since 1977 except for two – in 1987 when it finished second, and in 2020 when it did not compete in fall sports until the alternate spring season during that school year.
The girls title for Stevens Point is their eighth since 2012, and first since 2019. The Panthers finished with 35 points, with last year’s conference champion Wausau West taking second with 80 points. Marshfield was fourth with 105.
Mlodik ran to her third WVC title in a row as she won the girls race in 18:46.2, 51 seconds ahead Marshfield freshman Natalie Scharenbroch (19:37.5).
Michaela Dick was 20th (21:35.4), Kassidy Christopher 24th (21:47.0) and Carolina Sullenger 28th (22:23.9) as well for Marshfield.
“We had many PRs (personal records) today on our home course at Frey Field,” Marshfield coach Dan Akin said. “Congratulations to our WVC all-conference runners. This is a good league and they should be proud of their races.”
Marshfield will compete at the WIAA Division 1 Sectional next Saturday, Oct. 22, at Standing Rock Park in Stevens Point. Tickets are $5 and must be purchased online at www.spicket.events/wisconsinvalley.
2022 Wisconsin Valley Conference Cross Country Meet
Oct. 15, at Frey Field, Spencer (Host: Marshfield)
Boys
Team scores: 1. Stevens Point 15; 2. Wisconsin Rapids 85; 3. Wausau East 95; 4. Wausau West 110; 5. D.C. Everest 123; 6. Marshfield 144; 7. Merrill 214.
Top 10 and Marshfield finishers: 1. Bode Erickson (SP) 15:36.8; 2. Aloysius Franzen (SP) 15:45; 3. Ethan Olds (SP) 15:59.7; 4. Cooper Erickson (SP) 16:20.3; 5. Graham Ballard (SP) 16:21.0; 6. Cooper Gunderson (SP) 16:26.8; 7. Max Bushmaker (SP) 16:30.1; 8. Erek Ross (WE) 16:34.2; 9. Tate Bruckhart (SP) 16:58.4; 10. Colin Wellnitz (WR) 17:00.8; 12. Thomas Cashmer (MAR) 17:38.4; 14. Joey Cashmer (MAR) 17:55.5; 33. Judah Herman (MAR) 19:13.7; 41. Maxx Oertel (MAR) 19:56.9; 44. Hayden Rice (MAR) 20:11.7; 45. Lincoln Berger (MAR) 20:12.7.
Girls
Team scores: 1. Stevens Point 35; 2. Wausau West 80; 3. Wisconsin Rapids 93; 4. Marshfield 105; 5. D.C. Everest 106; 6. Wausau East 125; 7. Merrill 218.
Top 10 and Marshfield finishers: 1. Sara Mlodik (DC) 18:46.2; 2. Natalie Scharenbroch (MAR) 19:37.5; 3. Sarah Hopp (SP) 19:42.0; 4. Jalyssa Groskreutz (SP) 20:02.3; 5. Kate Schaeffer (WR) 20:02.7; 6. Lilly Higgins (SP) 20:04.3; 7. Maria Selting (DC) 20:06.8; 8. Elexa Marciniak (WW) 20:10.8; 9. Allison Jahns (WR) 20:14.5; 10. Edith Franzen (SP) 20:21.3; 20. Michaela Dick (MAR) 21:35.4; 24. Kassidy Christopher (MAR) 21:47.0; 28. Carolina Sullenger (MAR) 22:23.9; 31. Ava Raab (MAR) 22:26.8; 33. Claire Malone (MAR) 22:35.6; 37. Lily Truskowski (MAR) 22:55.7; 42. Serenity Paisley (MAR) 23:33.2.
Click here for complete results, courtesy of performancetiming.com.