Eagles’ boys run to a title

Picturesque Veterans’ Park on the University of Wisconsin-Platteville campus is the perfect setting for the annual Dick McKichan Platteville Invitational. Flooding a year ago, though, forced the competitive cross country meet to be held at Platteville High School, to the disappointment of coaches and athletes alike. However, while weather conditions were iffy at best last Saturday, the meet returned to Veterans’ Park, where the Sauk Prairie boys’ again showed they are among the state’s best. Sauk Prairie swept both the varsity and JV titles at the 28-team invitational that was split into large and small divisions for scoring purposes. For the boys’ varsity runners, it was their third consecutive team title and fourth overall this season. “The course was very wet, with standing water and a great deal of mud,” Sauk Prairie coach Andy Sherman said. “We also had cloud to ground lightning during the final race, the boys JV, which led to a shortened race of maybe a mile and a half. “Our boys during that race were thinking and had an idea that they would shorten it, so they got out fast and at the mile made the move so we finished one through five. So with all of the water, rain and mud, conditions were not great.” Sauk Prairie won the 13-team boys’ large schools meet with 65 points, easily outdistancing runner-up Glarus/Monticello (103) and third-place Monroe (107). Wisconsin Heights/Barneveld senior Christian Patzka won the individual title in the combined large and small schools race, covering the 5,000-meter course in 16 minutes, 15 seconds. McFarland won the girls’ large schools meet with 67 points, and Mount Horeb was runner-up with 96 points. Sauk Prairie was ninth with 215. Sophomore Kayci Martensen of Southwestern/Cuba City/Benton won the individual title in 18:29. “This meet had several ranked teams from the different divisions,” Sherman said. “It was a larger race, with 28 teams competing, so there were more runners, which added a bit of a twist.” In the boys’ varsity race, Eagles’ senior Hudson Haas finished third in the team scoring and overall in a time of 16:55, senior Camden Desroches was sixth in the team scoring and seventh overall in 17:11 and senior Noah Wankerl was 10th in the team scoring and 12th overall in 17:25 to pace Sauk Prairie’s title efforts. “Hudson, Cam and Noah continue to be the great runners that have led us for so long,” Sherman said. “They ran tough and smart.” Eagles’ freshman Jack Boerger continued to shine, finishing 13th in the team scoring and 15th overall in 17:39, while junior Sam Beattie was 33rd and 41st, respectively, in 18:09 to round out the Sauk Prairie team scoring. “Jack set a new (personal record) even in the terrible conditions,” Sherman said. “He was a couple of seconds off being the fastest freshman at the meet, which would have been a nice nod to his abilities. He has definitely helped make our boys team as good as they are.” Rounding out the rest of the varsity lineup were sophomore Dalton Zirbel who was 43rd overall in 18:09, and senior Casey Vande Hey, who was 45th overall in 18:13. The Sauk Prairie boys’ JV team also had a stellar day, recording a perfect score of 15 after sweeping the first five places. Sophomore Carson Enge was the overall JV champion, followed by sophomore Ritchie Wolff, freshman Jonah Richard, senior Hunter Kent and junior Phillip Geiselman. “I am so impressed with the development of the boys team,” Sherman said. In the girls’ competition, senior transfer student Livia Jurt set the pace for the Eagles, finishing 30th in the large school scoring and 47th overall in 21:59. Jurt was followed by sophomore Kassia Marquardt, who was 33rd in the team scoring and 50th overall in 22:04; junior Cassie Radl, who was 39th/58th in 22:28; sophomore Marissa Howard, who was 49th/78th in 22:51; and sophomore Trinity Doerre, who was 64th/100th in 24:03. Junior Briar Lohr rounded out the varsity roster, finishing 102nd overall in 24:10. “Cassie Radl and Marissa Howard both set new PRs,” Sherman said. “These two have really had a nice progression this season. They continue to keep getting better. “We also had new PRs from Piper Finley, Grace Sibila-Ott, Signe Begalske, and a three-minute PR set by Claire Wright, our newest runner. She has only been with us for a short time, but she has improved tremendously in her time with us.” With the conference meet rapidly approaching, Sherman was pleased with the progression the Eagles’ boys and girls teams continue to display but more importantly that they remain healthy. “I remember how the off-weather meets were so much fun as a runner,” Sherman said. “I almost remember some of them more than the others. I know most of our team had fun running in the bad conditions, but as a coach it scared me to death. “I am so proud of our runners who competed without letting the conditions limit them. It sets us up very well for the next few weeks.” • On deck: Sauk Prairie will compete at the Wisconsin Rapids Invitational at the Ridges Golf Course on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Oct. 5 Dick McKichan Platteville Invitational BOYS Team scores: 1, Sauk Prairie, 65; 2, 103 New Glarus/Monticello, 103; 3, Monroe, 107; 4, Union Grove, 115; 5, Mount Horeb, 119; 6, Evansville, 169; 7, McFarland, 182; 8, River Valley, 214; 9, Platteville, 215; 10, Wisconsin Heights/Barneveld, 219; 11, Southwestern/Cuba City/Benton, 247; 12, Brodhead/Juda, 344; 13, Prairie du Chien, 400. Top 10 Finishers: 1, Christian Patzka, WH/B, 16:15; 2, Riley Siltman, E, 16:53; 3, Hudson Haas, SP, 16:55; 4, Nick Connolly, I-G, 16:58; 5, Kevin Hall, UG, 17:07; 6, Marcus Johnson, UG, 17:08; 7, Camden Desroches, SP, 17:11; 8, Matthew Klumpyan, McF, 17:13; 9, Beau Gloudeman, RV, 17:19; 10, Jacob Reichmann, W-S, 17:23. Sauk Prairie scoring/overall: 3/3, Hudson Haas, 16:55; 6/7, Camden Desroches, 17:11; 10/12, Noah Wankerl, 17:25; 13/15, Jack Boerger, 17:39; 33/41, Sam Beattie, 18:09; (34)/43, Dalton Zirbel, 18:09; (36)/45, Casey Vande Hey, 18:13. GIRLS Team scores: 1, McFarland, 67; 2, Mount Horeb, 96; 3, Platteville, 120; 4, Union Grove, 151; 5, Madison Edgewood, 159; 6, Prairie du Chien, 163; 7, Evansville, 183; 8, Wisconsin Heights/Barneveld, 213; 9, Sauk Prairie, 215; 10, New Glarus/Monticello, 236; 11, Brodhead/Juda, 251; 12, Monroe, 262; 13, River Valley, 269. Top 10 finishers: 1, Kayci Martensen, SW/CC/B, 18:29; 2, Samantha Herrling, WH/B, 19:06; 3, Brittani Meis, Plv, 19:42; 4, Bridee Burks, L, 19:45; 5, Madelynn McIntyre, B/J, 19:46; 6, Madison Krey, RV, 20:05; 7, Jacie Hayes, Mo, 20:10; 8, Meg Katzung, PduC, 20:23; 9, Kristin Muench, L, 20:29; 10, Anna Ollendick, MH, 20:31. Sauk Prairie scoring/overall: 30/47, Livia Jurt, 21:59; 33/50, Kassia Marquardt, 22:04; 39/58, Cassie Radl, 22:28; 49/78, Marissa Howard, 22:51; 64/100, Trinity Doerre, 24:03; (66)/102, Briar Lohr, 24:10.