Wausau Pilot & Review

MENOMONIE – Defending girls state champion Sara Mlodik of D.C. Everest, the Wausau West girls team and Wausau West boys runner Josh Neilitz all qualified for next week’s state meet with top finishes at the WIAA Division 1 cross country sectional on Saturday at Menomonie High School.

The top two teams and top five runners not on the qualifying teams in both the boys and girls competitions earn berths in the 2023 WIAA State Cross Country Championships, which will be held Saturday, Oct. 28, at Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.

Hudson had the top four runners in the boys race and won the team title with 20 points, with Eau Claire Memorial second with 72 as both qualified for state. Hudson’s Brock Bjerke won the boys race in 15:52.2, three seconds ahead of teammate Addisu Haverly.

West junior Neilitz finished eighth in 16:29.9 to take one of the five individual state berths.

Wausau West was fifth, D.C. Everest placed eighth and Wausau East was 12th in the boys team standings.

D.C. Everest freshman Damen Schultz placed 17th in 17:11.6 and Wausau East senior Taylen Taylor tok 52nd in 18:41.5 to lead their respective teams.

Menomonie (70 points) and Wausau West (79 points) grabbed the two girls team spots at state. Mlodik, last year’s Division 1 individual state champion, won the girls sectional race for the third-straight year in 18:27.7, 6½ seconds in front of New Richmond’s Marah Benedict.

“It’s been an interesting season but there isn’t a challenge I wouldn’t take on with Sara,” D.C. Everest coach Allisha Blanchette said. “She meets every obstacle with cool intelligence. Usually if I can explain it, she can do it with precision.”

Elexa Marciniak placed fifth in 19:25.9, Celia Sinz was ninth in 20:02.3 and Leah Ottosen took 12th in 20:23.4 to lead the West girls, who qualify for the state meet as a team for the seventh time in school history and the first time since 2017.

Wausau East was 10th and D.C. Everest 11th in the girls team standings. East’s top runner was freshman Eliana Graham, who took 17th in 20:59.7.

WIAA Division 1 Cross Country Sectional
Oct. 21, at Menomonie High School
(*denotes state meet qualifier)
Boys
Team scores: *1. Hudson 20; *2. Eau Claire Memorial 72; 3. River Falls 82; 4. Menomonie 153; 5. Wausau West 175; 6. Chippewa Falls 176; 7. New Richmond 177; 8. D.C. Everest 203; 9. Eau Claire North 206; 10. Superior 275; 11. Marshfield 295; 12. Wausau East 313.
Top 10, state qualifiers, and D.C. Everest, Wausau West and Wausau East finishers: 1. Brock Bjerke (HUD) 15:52.2; 2. Addisu Haverly (HUD) 15:55.6; 3. Ryan Keller (HUD) 16:08.0; 4. Noah Lawrence (HUD) 16:09.9; 5. Will Pongonis (ECM) 16:13.9; 6. *Quinlan Andrews (RF) 16:18.1; 7. Will Sylvester (ECM) 16:22.7; 8. *Josh Neilitz (WW) 16:29.9; 9. *Benjamin Cihasky (CF) 16:33.5; 10. Ethan Eilertson (HUD) 16:37.3; 11. *Jonah Majerus (RF) 16:40.2; 14. *Owen Hoerneman (MAR) 16:52.0; 17. Damen Schultz (DC) 17:11.6; 33. Evan Fuchs (DC) 17:56.6; 34. Eli Akey (WW) 17:56.7; 35. Henry Ruffi (WW) 17:59.0; 43. Kolton Kershaw (WW) 18:17.9; 44. Adam Gage (DC) 18:17.9; 52. Taylen Taylor (WE) 18:41.5; 53. Tate Minnihan (DC) 18:42.2; 55. Will Zastrow (WW) 18:42.9; 56. Alexander Jelen (DC) 18:44.8; 58. Will Butalla (WW) 18:52.0; 59. Chris Zamzow (DC) 18:53.5; 60. Edmond Woods (WE) 18:57.6; 62. James Dadabo (DC) 18:58.7; 65. Dakota Myers (WW) 19:11.0; 66. Nick Johnkoski (WE) 19:13.8; 67. Noorullah Matie (WE) 19:25.3; 68. Quinn Barber (WE) 19:26.9; 72. Oliver Hornby (WE) 19:43.0; 75. Brayden Kluck (WE) 19:57.1.
Girls
Team scores: *1. Menomonie 70; *2. Wausau West 79; 3. Eau Claire Memorial 94; 4. Hudson 131; 5. New Richmond 146; 6. Marshfield 152; 7. Chippewa Falls 175; 8. River Falls 224; 9. Superior 235; 10. Wausau East 236; 11. D.C. Everest 244; 12. Eau Claire North 302.
Top 10 and D.C. Everest, Wausau West and Wausau East finishers: 1. *Sara Mlodik (DC) 18:27.7; 2. *Marah Benedict (NR) 18:34.0; 3. Lauren McCalla (MEN) 19:08.2; 4. Brooklyn Hoff (MEN) 19:17.1; 5. Elexa Marciniak (WW) 19:25.9; 6. *Tayler McMeekin (SUP) 19:31.3; 7. *Natalie Scharenbroch (MAR) 19:41.7; 8. *Jordan Chen (CF) 20:01.1; 9. Celia Sinz (WW) 20:02.3; 10. Lyla Vlcek (HUD) 20:14.6; 12. Leah Ottosen (WW) 20;23.4; 17. Elliana Graham (WE) 20:59.7; 24. Victoria Myers (WW) 21:04.9; 31. Claire Chellevold (WW) 21:19.1; 34. Maddie Murphy (WE) 21:31.7; 42. Lauren Bouffleur (DC) 21:46.2; 48. Madi Phelps (WW) 22:09.5; 49. Becca Jensen (WW) 22:13.8; 54. Margaret Bennett (WE) 22:41.5; 60. Anja Oestreich (WE) 23:09.2; 66. Jenna Koch (DC) 23:41.1; 68. Cecelia Hoffmann (DC) 23:42.0; 71. Emma Dadabo (DC) 24:07.1; 75. Hailey Bass (WE) 25:07.2; 79. Lyvia Loomis (WE) 25:48; 80. Ashlyn Loomans (DC) 26:06.1; 81. Krista Via (DC) 26:26.9.

Click here for complete results, courtesy of wi.milesplit.com