Thursday's Brooten Invite was once again won by Paynesville's Jen Hess. She bettered second place runner Rachel Kuhn of Minnewaska by 53 seconds with a time of 14:01. As a team, the Lady Bulldogs placed fourth.Jen Hess is shown here in the middle of the pack, but she didn't stay there long.
The meet took place at Prairie View Golf Course. This course is without the hills and many turns that tend to go hand in hand with the sport of cross country. This, coupled with cooler weather, produced many fast times for the team.
Erin Aagesen and Danielle Lieser placed 25th and 27th, with times of 16:24 and 16:29, respectively. Carin Frenchick, in 33rd place, came in with a time of 17:53. Tiff Rausch finished 35th with a time of 17:00.
Mesa Frenchick came in 43rd for the Bulldogs with a time of 17:53. Mellody Veldkamp wrapped up the varsity with a 53rd place in 18:35. "I really like the Brooten course," said Veldcamp, "I felt ready to run." Rausch agreed. "I think we all ran very well. I'm excited to see how we can do at the next meet."
In the junior varsity race, Jenny Burg placed high with her time of 18:11. Burg explained her racing strategy for this meet. "I think I went out too fast in the last meet, so I decided to pace myself more for this race."
Kim Hess won the junior high race with her time of 12:26 for two miles. As a seventh grader, she is undefeated in her racing career, winning her first two races, and should be running with the varsity soon. Trisha Wendlandt placed fifth in the same race with a time of 14:15.
The team ran Monday, Sept. 13, in Long Prairie, and will run tomorrow, Sept. 16, in New London-Spicer. Results can be found in next week's Press.
Varsity team standings
1. Morris - 50
2. Sauk Centre - 91
3. Minnewaska - 104
4. Paynesville - 121
5. Holdingford - 134
6. NLS - 157
7. Albany - 169
8. ACGC - 210
9. Montevideo - 232
10. BBE - 270
11. St. John's - Inc.
Litchfield - Inc.
BDRSH - Inc.
BOLD - Inc.
Individual results
1. Jen Hess - 14:01
25. Erin Aagesen - 16:24
27. Danielle Lieser - 16:29
33. Carin Frenchick - 16:53
35. Tiff Rausch - 17:00
43. Mesa Frenchick - 17:53