NRHEG junior finishes second in Section 2A
CRUISE CONTROL — NRHEG’s T.J. Schiltz strides out during last week’s Section 2A Cross Country Meet at Blue Earth. Schiltz finished second among the boys, earning a second straight trip to the state cross country meet. (Star Eagle photo by Nikki Erickson)
By DALE KUGATH
Sportswriter
BLUE EARTH – The Waseca and Martin County West cross country teams dominated the Section 2A Meet at Riverside Town and Country Club in Blue Earth Thursday.
With the top two teams advancing to the State Meet, Waseca and MCW were able to advance both its boys and girls teams to the Big Show.
Coach Mike Weber’s New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva teams had their seasons come to an end, with the exception of sophomore T.J. Schiltz.
The Panther boys placed 15th among 17 teams with 372 points, ending the year with a 9-78 overall record. NRHEG placed 17th in the section last season.
The NRHEG girls finished 19th among 20 teams with 495 points, completing their season with a 12-76 overall mark. The Panthers were 17th in section competition last year.Boys
Schiltz earned his second consecutive trip to the state meet to lead the NRHEG boys as he has every meet this season.
Martin County West won the boys’ meet with 55 points, 20 fewer than runner-up Waseca. However, the Bluejays held out their No. 2 runner in the meet.
NRHEG finished 15th in the team competition, beating Medford and Sibley East.
Waseca’s Shane Streich ran away from the field of 125 runners, covering the 5,000-meters in 15:44.9. That was over 30 seconds faster than the second-place finisher Schiltz.
The Panther runner, who was fifth in the section as a sophomore, ran a 16:15.6.
“T.J. ran a great race, finishing second to a very good Waseca runner,” said Weber. “He had high goals all year, and we waited a long time for him to get back to state.”
Raece Johnson and Adam Anderson ran two-three for NRHEG, both breaking the 20-minute barrier. Johnson placed 70th overall in 19:25.8, followed by Anderson in the 80th position in 19:44.1.
“These two guys pushed each other all season,” said Weber.
Dustin Burshem, NRHEG’s lone senior runner, ran his best race of the season in his final race.
Burshem placed 106th, covering the course in 21:06.9.
Jake Schendel, who ran about half the race with just one shoe, placed 114th in 24:12.9.
“I felt our boys placed about as well as we were hoping for,” said Weber.
Girls
Waseca had its top five runners in the first 16 finishers and breezed to the section championship with 48 points. MCW was a distant second with 89 points.
NRHEG finished 19th among 20 teams, beating only Medford.
United South Central junior Emily Mantor won the 4,000-meter race in 14:40.1, besting 132 other runners.
Katharine Lewer was the top Panther runner as she was all season, placing 37th in the field with a 16:28.7.
“Katharine had a superb finish to a very good season,” said Weber.
Crystal Olson and Sandra Quezada finished 96th and 106th as the second and third Panther runners. Olson, the team’s only senior, ran an 18:23, while Quezada finished in 19:06.2.
Kristy Possin was NRHEG’s fourth runner, placing 125th in 20:44.5.
“Sandra and Kristy had their best times of the season,” said Weber. “Possin was our most improved runner week in and week out.”
Marissa Mortenson was the final Panther runner. She ran a 23:01.3 to place 131st.
“Our girls were running their best at the end of the year and that is what you like to see,” said Weber.
Schiltz will be looking to improve on last year’s 89th-place finish at state when he runs at St. Olaf College in Northfield Saturday.
The Class A boys’ meet begins at 10 a.m.
Section 2A Meet
(B) Results: 1)-Martin County West 55, 2)-Waseca 75, 3)-Mankato Loyola 132, 4)-St. James 147, 5)-Maple River 185, 6)-USC 197, 7)-TC United 227, 8)-LCWM 240, 9)-Madelia/Truman 252, 10)-GFW 253, 11)-St. Peter 254, 12)-Le Sueur 263, 13)-Fairmont 305, 14)-Blue Earth 310, 15)-NRHEG 372, 16)-Medford 396, 17)-Sibley East 400.
Winner (5000-meters, 125 runners) – Shane Streich (Waseca) 15:44.9.
NRHEG results: 2)-Schiltz 16:15.6, 70)-Johnson 19:25.8, 80)-Anderson 19:44.1, 106)-Burshem 21:06.9, 114)-Schendel 24:12.9.
(G) Results: 1)-Waseca 48, 2)-Martin Co., West 89, 3)-Fairmont 110, 4)-Loyola 112, 5)-USC 127, 6)-St. James 241, 7)-MVL 251, 8)-St. Peter 269, 9)-WEM/JWP 272, 10)-Blue Earth 294, 11)-TC United 301, 12)-Sleepy Eye 342, 13)-Le Sueur 353, 14)-LCWM 354, 15)-GFW 374, 16)-Sibley East 379, 17)-Madelia/Truman 399, 18)-Maple River 432, 19)-NRHEG 495, 20)-Medford 528.
Winner (4000 meters, 133 runners) – Emily Mantor (USC) 14:40.1.
NRHEG results: 37)-Lewer 16:28.7, 96)-C. Olson 18:23.0, 106)-S. Quezada 19:06.2, 125)-Possin 20:44.5, 131)-Mortenson 23:01.3.
NEXT: Saturday – Class A Boys State CC Meet at St. Olaf College in Northfield, 10 a.m.