ATWATER -- Although they didn’t have an official state meet to cap the season, Bemidji High School cross country still went up against the state’s best on Friday and Saturday at Island Pine Golf Course in Atwater.
Competing in the TCRC Cross Country Showcase -- a de facto state meet since the Minnesota State High School League opted to not hold post-section competition this fall -- the BHS boys placed 16th out of 20 “large class” teams, or among the Class AA field. Mia Hoffmann, the lone would-be state qualifier for the Lumberjack girls, placed squarely in the middle of the pack at 74th of 155 runners.
The top Bemidji finish of the day belonged to Nathan Alto, who recorded a 16:44.5 time to come in 48th overall. Trailing were Ethan Maish at 16:55.8 (69th), Carson Maish at 17:39.1 (114th), Brooks Matetich at 17:42.5 (115th) and Bryce Kondos at 18:12.7 (136th) to comprise the team score. Isaak McDonald (18:32.2, 146th) was the final BHS runner in the 160-man field.
Prior Lake was first among boys teams with 89 points to win the unofficial state championship. Stillwater’s Ethan Vargas led the field with a first-place time of 15:54.6.
On the girls’ side, Hoffmann timed out at 19:44.0 for her 74th-place mark.
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Analee Weaver of Stillwater led all girls with a finish of 17:04.4, while Edina claimed the team title with 79 points.
Boys Large Class Results
1-Prior Lake 89; 2-Stillwater 109; 3-Wayzata 143; 4-Rosemount 153; 5-Robbinsdale Armstrong 170; 6-Eden Prairie 173; 7-White Bear Lake 182; 8-Mounds View 216; 9-Buffalo 218; 10-Minnetonka 230; 11-Lakeville South 288; 12-Roseville 306; 13-East Ridge 311; 14-Edina 356; 15-Alexandria 379; 16-Bemidji 405; 17-Chanhassen 415; 18-Maple Grove 433; 19-Andover 458; 20-Blaine 520.
