Due to some Covid restrictions, only three teams are allowed to compete against each other at one time.  The teams were ranked with the best three teams racing at the end of the day.  Our boys were in the top three and began the race looking strong from the start eventually putting five under the 18 minute mark and having five all conference runners.  The Knights had all conference runners Kyle Schill, 2nd place, Kade Runge, 3rd place, Alex Salwasser, 5th place, Reubens Swanson, 9th place and Shad Swanson, 13th place.   These guys have the ability to stick together in races without losing sight of their teammates.  At the end of the day, they place all the teams (9) into the race so you never really know what your place will end up.   Our sixth was Peyton Hanson in 22nd and Roman Mihailovski in 25th.  Kyle has been all conference four seasons and Alex and Kade their third.  Again, no easy feat in the HOL.   The boys’ team finished with 32 followed by Perham (54) and Frazee (100). 

The girls’ race had Lexi Bright winning in commanding fashion, beating the nearest runner by half a minute on her way to being the HOL Conference Champion.  Lexi was on a mission to win that race from the start.  The team ended up in third to Perham in first (28), Hawley 2nd (63) and the Knights (78), both Hawley and Perham are state ranked teams.  Macy Grosz was next for us in 14th followed closely by Terina Blascyk in 15th, making all conference for their first time.   The Foslien sisters were next with Halle Foslien in 22nd and Mya Foslien in 27th.  Sydney Ulrich was our next runner in 33rd and Alexa Blume in 36th.  The girls’ races again allowed only three teams at a time so we had to wait to see how the other runners and teams filled in the spaces to see how we would end up.  One of the things that has made both our teams competitive is that when the gun goes off, we compete.  Winning is nice but we’re most proud of how the Knights compete.  Our next events will be the section meets, with the boys running in Long Prairie on Tuesday and girls racing in New London Spicer on Thursday.   

Boys’ Results
1. West Central Area 32, 2. Perham 54, 3. Frazee 100, 4. DGF 133, 5. Breckenridge-Wahpeton 154, 6. Thief River Falls 159, 7. Lake Park-Audubon 173, 8. Hawley 175, 9. Pelican Rapids 180
Top 10 individuals
1. Jakob McCleary (PER) 16:49.6, 2. Kyle Schill (WCA) 17:02.8, 3. Kade Runge (WCA) 17:05.1, 4. Carson Hespe (PER) 17:16.3, 5. Alex Salwasser (WCA) 17:24.1, 6. Aidan Ruddy (B-W) 17:27.1, 7. Charlie Larson (PR) 17:37.1, 8. Nathan Johannsen (FRA) 17L39.9, 9. Reubens Swanson (WCA) 17:51.6, 10. Christian Carlson (FRA)

Full results can be found here:
https://www.gsetiming.com/results/cc_rslts/cc_rslts.asp?meet_id=758&sport=Cross-Country&rslts_page=overall_rslts.asp

Girls’ Results
1. Perham 28, 2. Hawley 63, 3. West Central Area 79, 4. Lake Park-Audubon 88, 5. Breckenridge-Wahpeton 162, 6. Frazee 163,7. Pelican Rapids 182, 8. Thief River Falls 185

Top 10 individuals
1. Lexi Bright (WCA) 19:37.5, 2. Lily Olson (HAW) 20:11.9, 3. Gracie Morris (PER) 20:19.6, 4. Liz Birkeland (PER) 20:30.6, 5. Taytum Nelson (LPA) 20:35.4, 6. Kaia Starzl 20:35.7, 7. Mya Morris (PER) 20:51.6, 8. Aspen Rohde (PER) 20:52.0, 9. Ingrid Rustad (HAW) 20:57.0, 10. Lily Peterson (HAW) 20:58.6