Eagles win Thunderbird Challenge

Sauk Prairie’s girls cross country team won the Baraboo Thunderbird Challenge on Sept. 24. The Eagles finished with 29 points, while Baraboo (49), Poynette (74) and Mauston (99) rounded out the four-team field. It marked the fourth straight year Sauk Prairie won this event. “Both of our teams ran very well on a short rest,” Sauk Prairie coach Andy Sherman said. “We followed a plan to conserve ourselves a bit and continue to run as a pack. The girls executed that plan perfectly and placed eight runners in the top 14.” Sauk Prairie sophomore Aaliyah Bermudo was second overall, finishing the 5,000-meter race in 20 minutes, 52.40 seconds. Senior Ziah Been was fourth (21:52.90), sophomore Savannah Liegel was sixth (21:53.80), junior Clarissa Brickl was seventh (21:54.30) and sophomore Evie Bahe was eighth (21:56.10). While only the top five scores count, the Eagles also received a 10th place finish from freshman Maya Dischler (22:23.30), a 12th place finish from Lainey Dillon (22:39.20) and a 14th place showing from junior Kylie Hutchins (23:12.70). Sauk Prairie’s boys finished fourth out of five teams. Mauston won the team title with 32 points, followed by Baraboo (37), Poynette (70), Sauk Prairie (94) and Reedsburg (139). “The boys ran well,” Sherman said. Junior Austin Smith led the Eagles with a 15th place finish (18:25.20), while junior Jacob  Wiegmann was 18th (18:37.30). Senior Charlie Endres 23rd (19:21.30), junior Hunter Brensike was 24th (19:34.0) and senior John Fabian was 27th (20:00.20).