A total of three-area high school Cross Country teams have qualified for the WIAA State Meet based on their performances at Saturday’s Sectional meets at Meadow Links Golf Course in Manitowoc & in Kiel.
In Division-3, Valders runners earned a state berth in both the boys and girls races, marking the 1st time that has happened since 1991, according to Coach Bill Dietrich.
The Viking girls placed 2nd in a tight match with Lourdes Academy while the boys pulled away from runner-up Sheboygan Lutheran to take the team title.
Hannah Welch edged Manitowoc Lutheran’s Brooklyn Luebke as both just literally fell across the finish line.
Luebke will look to defend her individual state title at Wisconsin Rapids.
In the Boys Sectional run, Shane Griepentrog and Clay Taylor of Valders finished 1-2 in the race with Griepentrog pacing the field in A time of 15:22.
Roncalli’s Ryan Jacobi wound up 10th and qualifies as an individual.
The Jets were 11th in the team standings while the Lancers placed 6th and 7th respectively in the boys and girls divisions.
In the Division-2 Sectional at Kiel, the Two Rivers boys are headed to State as a runner-up to team champion Notre Dame.
The Raiders were led by Zack Fries who was 9th.
Kiel boys were 5th with their top runner Pierce Arenz coming in 7th and advancing to state.
In the Girls race, host Kiel was 4th and Two Rivers came in 6th with TR’s Anna Gallagher earning meet medalist honors and teammate Olivia Stanley placing 7th
Anna and Olivia, along with Kiel’s Jocelyn April are going to compete at Wisconsin Rapids.
And in Division-1, Bay Port took the boys team title with Manitowoc Lincoln ending up 4th.
The Ships Mason Gates finished 3rd which again qualifies him as an individual for the State Cross Country Meet.
Kaukauna winds up as the Girls team winner with Lincoln coming in 9th.
Elena Zavala finished 34th overall, but ran a season-best 21:37.
