Both teams return to state after qualifying last year

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

RIB MOUNTAIN — The Stratford boys and Auburndale girls are heading back to the WIAA State Cross Country Meet after each finished second at the Division 3 sectional on Friday at Nine Mile Recreation Area.

Cade Lehman placed fifth in 17:08, and Lucas Heidmann was ninth in 17:29 to lead the Stratford boys, which finished with 94 points to earn second place by 14 points over Marshfield Columbus Catholic.

Wisconsin Rapids Assumption won the boys title with 47 points as Connor Dolan won the 5-kilometer race in 16:11, 14 seconds ahead of Josh Langteau of Athens.

Assumption and Stratford earned the two team spots, and the top five individuals not on those teams also move on to the 2016 WIAA State Cross Country Meet, which will be held Oct. 29 at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.

Thomas Basala of Stevens Point Pacelli, Tanner Moris of Crandon, Ty Heuer of Wabeno/Laona, and Donald Dums of Prentice/Rib Lake, along with Langteau, earned the qualifying spots for the boys.

Jeremiah Giles was 15th in 17:51, Benny Frericks was 18th in 17:59, and Josh Guyer took 20th in 18:03 to lead the Columbus Catholic boys.

Auburndale was 11th, and Spencer had only four runners competing. Paul Kollross led the Apaches, taking 49th in 19:22, and Ashton Ackman finished 51st in 19:26 for Spencer.

Marissa Ellenbecker of Edgar won the girls race in 18:33 to earn a spot in the state meet. Other individual qualifiers were Anna Buchberger of Marathon (third, 19:51); Kortnie Volk of Three Lakes (fifth, 20:11); Rhiannon Hooper of Wabeno/Laona (sixth, 20:24); and Hannah Brewster, also from Edgar (seventh, 20:28).

Isabella Jewell finished fourth (20:11), and Kali Karl took eighth (20:34) to top the Auburndale girls, which missed out by just one point on a sectional title. Stevens Point Pacelli scored 60 points, led by second-place finisher Elizabeth Cisweski (19:49), with Auburndale second with 61.

Vanessa Mitchell added a 15th-place finish for the Apaches (21:06).

The Stratford girls took third, Columbus Catholic was seventh, and Spencer eighth in the team standings.

Macie Schillinger led Stratford, taking 12th in 20:51. Angelina Verdone was 16th (21:08) for the Tigers.

Melanie Lang topped Columbus, finishing 17th in 21:24, and Kaitlin Kasch was 26th (22:08) for Spencer’s best finish.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

WIAA Division 3 Cross Country Sectional

Oct. 21, at Nine Mile Recreation Area, Rib Mountain (Host: Edgar)

*Denotes state meet qualifiers

Boys

Team scores: *1. Wisconsin Rapids Assumption 47; *2. Stratford 94; 3. Marshfield Columbus Catholic 108; 4. Marathon 126; 5. Prentice/Rib Lake 144; 6. Edgar 148; 7. Crandon 183; 8. Athens 191; 9. Owen-Withee 242; 10. Stevens Point Pacelli 267; 11. Auburndale 306; 12. Florence 329; 13. Wabeno/Laona 342; 14. Loyal 365; 15. Pembine 395; Pittsville, Spencer, Three Lakes incomplete.

Top 10 individuals, and Stratford, Columbus Catholic, Auburndale and Spencer finishers: 1. Connor Dolan (WRA) 16:11; *2. Josh Langteau (ATH) 16:25; *3. Thomas Basala (SPP) 16:50; *4. Tanner Moris (CRAN) 17:04; 5. Cade Lehman (ST) 17:08; 6. Theo Kobaza (WRA) 17:08; *7. Ty Heuer (WL) 17:09; 8. Garrett Dolan (WRA) 17:14; 9. Lucas Heidmann (ST) 17:29; *10. Donald Dums (PRL) 17:32; 15. Jeremiah Giles (MCC) 17:51; 18. Benny Frericks (MCC) 17:59; 20. Josh Guyer (MCC) 18:03; 22. Christopher Zuelke (ST) 18:05; 23. Peyton Nystrom (MCC) 18:13; 24. Isaac Guyer (ST) 18:15; 32. Bryce Fuerlinger (MCC) 18:38; 34. Isaac Thompson (ST) 18:42; 48. Leonard Steinert (MCC) 19:10; 49. Paul Kollross (AUB) 19:22; 50. Jon Viegut (MCC) 19:23; 51. Ashton Ackman (SP) 19:26; 55. Matt Leick (AUB) 19:39; 56. Paul Peplinski (AUB) 19:40; 63. Jacob Danen (ST) 20:06; 65. Sam Schoenfuss (ST) 20:08; 67. Brett Kasch (SP) 20:24; 71. Dominick Wichlacz (SP) 20:36; 74. Gage Stoflet (AUB) 20:58; 80. Darren Kieffer (AUB) 21:24; 82. Josh Steczynski (AUB) 21:39; 85. Josh Peplinski (AUB) 22:05; 88. Colten Post (SP) 22:14.

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Girls

Team scores: *1. Stevens Point Pacelli 60; *2. Auburndale 61; 3. Stratford 97; 4. Edgar 115; 5. Marathon 126; 6. Prentice/Rib Lake 186; 7. Marshfield Columbus Catholic 190; 8. Spencer 207; 9. Three Lakes 223; 10. Loyal 236; 11. Athens 291; 12. Crandon 297; 13. Pittsville 333; Wisconsin Rapids Assumption, Owen-Withee and Wabeno/Laona incomplete.

Top 10 individuals, and Stratford, Columbus Catholic, Auburndale and Spencer finishers: *1. Marissa Ellenbecker (ED) 18:33; 2. Elizabeth Cisewski (SPP) 19:49; *3. Anna Buchberger (MAR) 19:51; 4. Isabella Jewell (AUB) 20:11; *5. Kortnie Volk (TL) 20:11; *6. Rhiannon Hooper (WL) 20:24; *7. Hannah Brewster (ED) 20:28; 8. Kali Karl (AUB) 20:34; 9. Kallie Falteisek (OW) 20:41; 10. Abby Van Rixel (ATH) 20:46; 12. Macie Schillinger (ST) 20:51; 15. Vanessa Mitchell (AUB) 21:06; 16. Angelina Verdone (ST) 21:08; 17. Melanie Lang (MCC) 21:24; 19. Kaylee Hollatz (ST) 21:38; 20. Taylor Stanton (AUB) 21:40; 21. Anna Kollross (AUB) 21:45; 22. Sammy Griesbach (ST) 21:56; 24. Julianna Kollross (AUB) 22:00; 26. Kaitlin Kasch (SP) 22:08; 35. Hailey Roehl (MCC) 22:25; 38. Kaily Northup (SP) 22:36; 40. Gabby Leonard (ST) 22:46; 41. Marissa Immerfall (MCC) 22:50; 48. Kaylee Wehrman (SP) 23:28; 50. Morgan Albrecht (MCC) 23:30; 51. McKenna Brecht (SP) 23:31; 54. Emmalee Richardson (AUB) 23:47; 55. Taya Nett (ST) 23:54; 56. Heather Greenberg (ST) 23:55; 61. Sydney Johnson (SP) 24:43; 63. Lauren Faber (SP) 24:48; 64. Hannah Grubofski (MCC) 24:50; 67. Sabrina Vircks (SP) 25:00; 90. Greta Schiferl (MCC) 30:48.