HAWKS CROSS COUNTRY - Hawks set some strong times under the lights; boys 2nd to Phillips

The Prentice-Rib Lake cross country team took part in a unique experience and several of the Hawks set improved times in the process at the Nightfall 715 Cross Country Classic held Friday night at RiverEdge Golf Course in Marshfield.

Competing after sunset under the lights, the Hawks finished second in the boys Division 3 standings behind their rivals from Phillips and the girls placed 15th. While scored by division, all three divisions ran at the same time in each race, creating a big-meet atmosphere, similar to the state meet.

With all three divisions combined, the boys race included 382 total runners from 31 scoring teams. In Division 3, which had the most runners (194) and teams (18), the Hawks compiled 97 points, 10 more than Phillips and 13 better than third-place Marathon as Marawood Conference teams swept the top three spots. Boscobel was a distant fourth with 172 points.

Henry Regier placed fifth in the division’s individual results with a time of 16:29.74, which is his new varsity personal-best. He beat Frederic-Luck’s Zane Mattson by 7.6 seconds for the topfive spot and was just 3.53 seconds behind fourth-place finisher Michael Dolan of Wisconsin Rapids Assumption. Iola-Scandinavia’s Ben Beck won the D3 title at 16:04.25, while Gavin Esterholm of Phillips (16:15.44) and Oliver Gariepy of Unity (16:24.08) were second and third.

Kaleb Scott was 13th for Prentice-Rib Lake in 17:08.04, while Truman Smith got into the top 20 as well, taking 19th in 17:32.99. Heston Hueckman was 26th in a personal-best 17:46.69 and Jackson Schutt was the team’s fifth scorer, placing 38th in a personal-best 18:05.95.

Seamus Highfill was 45th in a personalbest 18:20.29 and Jeremy Wiitala was 47th in 18:22.28 as the team’s sixth and seventh finishers. Also competing for the Hawks were Dene Zuleger, who was 70th in 19:00.32; Eliah Harding, who was 79th in his new best time of 19:24.82, and Riley Johnson and Ian Weber, who were 143rd and 144th in 22:31.05 and 22:32.44. Johnson’s time was his best of the fall. Jack Dananay set a new best time of 23:44.88 to place 165th and Jaden Briggs was 192nd in 28:34.59.

Phillips, who have been right on the Hawks’ heels for the last year and a half, finally caught them and won the D3 team title by getting all five of its scorers in the top 30.

Prentice-Rib Lake’s girls team compete without its top runner, senior Kylie Orysen. Her freshman cousin Ella Orysen took over the number-one spot and placed 45th out of 154 runners in a time of 22:36.5. Ella Grzanna was 59th with her best of the year at 23:15.43. Emma Tlusty was 87th in 25:19.76, missing her seasonbest by 1.76 seconds.

Annalee Roder was 109th in a new best time of 26:34.29. Anna Scott lowered her time to 27:38.1 while placing 125th and Avie Schutt set her best time of this fall at 27:48.45, good for 127th.

The Hawks had 318 points to finish ahead of Loyal-Greenwood (369) and just behind Marathon (302). Phillips also won the girls Division 3 team title with 69 points, just enough to beat Assumption (76) for the top spot. Cochrane-Fountain City (117), Chequamegon (130) and Bangor (138) completed the top five.

Cochrane-Fountain City’s Addy Duellman was the individual champion at 18:18.36. Assumption’s Lucy Dolan was second at 18:41.23. Leah Harper led the champion Loggers, taking fifth at 19:42.3.

Menomonie and West Salem were the girls Division 1 and 2 team champions, while Menomonie and Prescott were the boys Division 1 and 2 team champions.

Prentice-Rib Lake next competes today, Thursday, at the Athens Invitational and will also be at the Auburndale Invitational at the Frey Field Course on Tuesday.