“Karissa entered the state race with unwavering focus and preparation,” stated Border West Head Coach Brittany Erickson. “She was fully dialed in.  She got out in the front--and put herself right where she needed to be. Her 1K splits were slightly faster at the 1K and 2K marks, but it was at the 3K where she really made her move, posting a time 40 seconds faster than usual. Even at the 4K, she was a few seconds ahead of her typical pace. It was that final 1K, though, with the steep hill climb, where I'm sure everything was hitting her. She left it all out there and ran a phenomenal race.  I got pretty teary-eyed congratulating her and watching her friends, family, and teammates share in that moment.”

Other area runners competing included seventh-grader Sophia Jannette of West Central Area who finished in 39th place with a time of 19:53.9.  Two runners from Bertha-Hewitt, junior Kendra Miller (19:35.2) and senior Miette Hansel (20:20.7) came in 26th, and 60th, respectively.

“Upon finishing, Karissa shared that it didn’t feel like a state meet—it felt like any other race,” reported Coach Erickson. “She is determined to return in the future, and I believe she’s laying the groundwork for something even bigger. She has a strong belief in her teammates’ potential, and so do I. With her leadership, I’m confident that a team could join her at the state level in the years to come.  We are incredibly proud of her and deeply grateful for the unwavering support and well-wishes from the Border West Buc Nation throughout this journey.”

Individual Results
Barnesville
38. Cassidy Rotz 19:50.9, 65. Carly Orvik 20:26.3, 78. Sienna Marshall 20:39.9, 95. Jovie Marshall 20:59.0, 98. Liz Schmitz 21.03.8, 102. Rory Guderjahn 21:10.4, 104. Tenley Hanson 21:11.2

Wadena-Deer Creek
66. Karly Haverkamp 20:26.2, 88. Lydia Oldakowski 20:51.8, 99. Brielle Kern 21:04.5, 100. Cody Seelhammer 21:07.4, 106. Cambrie Geiger 21:12.9, 135. Danya Spicer 22:25.5, 137. Annika Spicer 22:30.7