“This may be biggest meet and the best competition the kids will see all season,” said Storm Head Coach Larry Lasch. “It was a tough course on a windy day.  The times were not as fast as last week, but the kids built some mental toughness.”  

The top placer for the Storm was Aiden Ruddy with a 23rd place in 18:24 on the 5k course of 115 runners.  Luke Baumgardner was 45th, Devan Diemert, 76th, Ethan Lauritsen, 85th, and Bryce Awender, 95th, completed the race for the boys who finished in 11th place as a team.    

Red River won the team title with 34 points and Fargo North was second with 68.  They were followed by Grand Forks Central 122, Kindred 132 and Devils Lake 158.  Hunter McHenry of Red River was the individual winner and his teammate Matthew Rongitsch was runner-up.

The girls also placed 11th as a team behind the 32nd place of Rachel Gowin in the field of 105 runners.  Running close to Gowin was Kiera Wiertzema in 42nd.  Aubrey Boesen and Ali Hoerer ran well together to place 64th and 79th, while Jasmyn Bendiedict, Adi Dodge, and Hailey Bruce finished in 81st, 82nd, and 84th respectively. 

The girls’ team title went to Red River with 72 points.  Rugby was a close second with 78 and Fargo North was third with 83.  Greta Goven of Valley City was the individual champion.