Reaching for the top

 

WAUNAKEE — Battling illness throughout the week and going up against the Badger North’s best at Saturday’s conference meet at Waunakee’s Ripp Park, the Baraboo Thunderbirds girls and boys cross country teams ran with determination en route to respectable finishes.

The T-Birds boys team placed fourth out of the seven-team field with a score of 84, and were led by junior Matt Rosene’s silver medal with a time of 17:41.79. DeForest (54) went on to win the meet and dethrone three-year defending champ Sauk Prairie (60).

The Baraboo girls team ended in sixth place (125), with Denise Leaver taking third place overall (16:08.72) after being edged at the tape by Mount Horeb’s Meleana Bennin (16:08.21). Mount Horeb, Division II state champ in 2008, went on to win the league title with a score of 37.

Despite having to scratch an ailing Austin Jackson from its lineup before the race, and Gerit Bruni dropping out of the race a mile in while attempting to race with injury and illness, the boys squad got solid finishes from those behind Rosene.

Senior Brock Pfaff was named Second Team All-Conference after crossing the line in 13th place (18:42). Freshman Sam Trotter (19:07) and seniors Jake Mieller (19:16) and Jake Bachman (19:18) entered the chute in 22nd, 23rd, and 24th place, respectively.

Though BHS didn’t succeed in challenging for the conference title, boys coach Peter Arndt was impressed with his team’s effort.

"Even though we fell short of our goal, the guys battled as best they could," he said. "They gave a valiant effort, but there were just some variables we could not control."

It came as no surprise to Arndt that Rosene stayed with race winner Garrett Kerska (17:01.05) on the way to being named First Team All-Conference.

"Matt worked so hard and has really emerged as a force," Arndt said.

For the T-Birds girls contingent, Leaver’s bronze medal was an improvement over her fifth-place standing in last season’s conference race.

Junior Kassi Sprecher was next in line for the Thunderbirds, clocking in at 18:11.97 for the 22nd spot.

Junior Shelly Newgent made the best of her recent ascension to varsity, placing 39th (19:49.34).

With the entire varsity squad returning in 2010, BHS girls coach Dawn Leaver is excited about the future.

"Waunakee has a very challenging course and I thought our girls performed very well," she said. "We gained all kinds of experience this year and I saw a strong work ethic from all of the girls throughout the entire season which will help to carry us into next year."

Both teams will now set their sights on Saturday’s DeForest Sectional.

 

 

DeForest 54, Sauk Prairie 60, Waunakee 71, Baraboo 84, Portage 90, Mount Horeb-Barneveld 116, Reedsburg 199.1, Kerska, SP, 17:01.05; 2, Rosene, B, 17:41.79; 3, Champeau, P, 17:54.18; 4, Eisler, D, 18:02.28; 5, Grinstead, D, 18:12.06.: Matt Rosene, 2nd 17:41.79; Brock Pfaff, 13th 18:42.13; Sam Trotter, 22nd 19:07.13; Jake Meiller, 23rd 19:16.05; Jake Bachman, 24th 19:18.09. Mount Horeb-Barneveld 37, Waunakee 56, DeForest 71, Reedsburg 105, Sauk Prairie 118, Baraboo 125, Portage inc.1, Mackler, MHB, 16:00.30; 2, Bennin, MHB, 16:08.21; 3, Leaver, B, 16:08.72; 4, Heinemann, W, 16:20.91; 5, Diske, R, 16:34.77. Denise Leaver, 2nd 16:08.72; Kassi Sprecher, 22nd 18:11.97; Tara Nelson, 27th 18:25.03; Shelly Newgent, 39th 19:49.94; Tiffany Nelson, 43rd 20:30.52; Olivia Schoenoff, 45th 20:34; Brooke Morley, 20:36. Abbie Brandhagen, 14th 21:21, Molly Wight, 16th 21:21.

 

Top individuals:

 

BHS finishers

JV finishers: Schwarz, 4th 20:28; Drexler, 6th 20:39; Pyfferoen, 7th 20:41; Rossiter 21:18; Bruni, 16th 21:30; Dersham, 17th 21:38; Prochaska, 28th 22:36; Brown, 37th 23:47; Weinke,, 44th 24:10; Stoffles, 57th 28:10.

 

Girls results

Team scores:

Top individuals:

 

BHS finishers:

 

JV finishers:

Badger North Conference meet @ Waunakee

Boys results

Team scores: