Kerska endures, finishes fourth at state cross country meet and earns spot on medal stand.
Photo by Travis Houslet / Capital Newspapers
Sauk Prairie's Garrett Kerska runs along side Madison East's Gabe Heck early in the WIAA Division 1 state cross country race.
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By Travis Houslet, Capital Newspapers
WISCONSIN RAPIDS — Garrett Kerska didn’t waste any time chasing his dream Saturday afternoon.
Admittedly, though, The Sauk Prairie senior just didn’t have enough to make it a reality.
"Right away, I had a bunch of people I knew competing for the championship, so I just took off after them at the gun, Kerska said of his start to the WIAA Division 1 prep cross country race at the Ridges Golf Course. "I just kind of went with them for as long as I could, and I stayed in that lead pack.
"Then with about 1,000 meters to go, they started to part and I couldn’t go with. I fell back to fifth and I just held my breath and toughed it out. ... It was painful but it worked out in the end."
What it worked out to was a spot on the medal stand, something Kerska earned by finishing fourth with a personal best time of 15 minutes, 53 seconds — just 12 seconds behind winner Marcus Paulson of Milwaukee Hamilton.
Kerska, who finished 14th last season, said it was an especially gratifying finish considering he spent the summer recovering from a pair of stress fractures in his left leg — which left his cross country season in doubt.
"I’ll take it," he said. "I would have liked first, but considering the circumstances of my summer, I’m happy to be here and perform well.
"I’m really happy with that."
For more from Kerska's race at state, and for full meet results, pick up a copy of the Nov. 4 edition of the Eagle, or visit the Eagle's Web site that day.