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Here are the top runners, teams to watch at the WIAA state cross-country meet

ricardo arguello, appleton post-crescent
·6 min read
Kaukauna's Sydney Fauske is one of the top returning runners to the WIAA Division 1 state cross-country meet Saturday at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
Kaukauna's Sydney Fauske is one of the top returning runners to the WIAA Division 1 state cross-country meet Saturday at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.

The WIAA state cross-country meet is Saturday at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. The Appleton, Oshkosh and Fond du Lac areas have 23 individual competitors and 12 teams competing.

The boys and girls events will be run on a 5,000-meter course. The girls race times are noon (Division 3), 12:40 p.m. (D2) and 1:20 p.m. (D1). The boys race times are 2 p.m. (D3), 2:35 p.m. (D2) and 3:10 p.m. (D1).

Here are top athletes to watch along with a complete list of area competitors and teams.

Little Chute's Riley Huss (713) runs ahead of Kiel's Ethan Vander Meer during the Kiel Cross Country Invitational earlier this season.
Little Chute's Riley Huss (713) runs ahead of Kiel's Ethan Vander Meer during the Kiel Cross Country Invitational earlier this season.

12 runners to watch

Sasha Doyle, jr., Lomira: Finished second at the Portage sectional (20:01). Finished 57th last season at the D2 girls state meet (21:02.9).

Sydney Fauske, jr., Kaukauna: Finished fourth at the Manitowoc sectional with a time of 19:25.2. Placed 22nd at the D1 girls state meet last year (19:42.6).

Lilie Fouts, jr., Xavier: Fouts was the top overall finisher at the Brillion sectional with a time of 19:09.3. Was also 31st last season at the D2 girls state meet (20:24.8).

Claire Helmila, so., Freedom: Finished second at the Oconto Falls sectional with a time of 19:46.6. Was 13th at the D2 girls state meet last season (19:49.8).

Riley Huss, sr., Little Chute: Finished third at the Brillion sectional (16:44.6). Finished ninth last year at the Division 2 boys state meet (16:29.2).

Oshkosh West's Braelee Jodarski will compete at the WIAA Division 1 girls state cross-country championships Saturday at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
Oshkosh West's Braelee Jodarski will compete at the WIAA Division 1 girls state cross-country championships Saturday at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.

Braelee Jodarski, jr., Oshkosh West: Placed second at the D1 Slinger sectional with a time of 20:19.4. Finished 47th last season at the D1 girls state meet with a time of 20:17.5.

Erin Moore, so., Lourdes Academy: Moore was the top finisher at the D3 Manitowoc Lutheran sectional with a time of 19:45.3. Also placed 41st overall last season at the D3 girls state meet (21:07.2).

Aaron Schimke, sr., Kaukauna: Schimke finished third at the Manitowoc sectional with a time of 15:49.2. Was also 27th at the D1 boys state meet last season (16:38.6).

Lauren Tears, sr., Neenah: Tears finished third at the Stevens Point sectional with a time of 20:06. Also placed 54th at the D1 girls state meet last year with a time of 20:21.4.

Grant Wenzelow, fr., Winneconne: Wenzelow finished first at the D2 Portage boys sectional with a time of 16:48.57.

Ashley Wilson, so., Little Chute: Finished fourth at the Brillion sectional with a time of 19:44.9. Was 32nd last season at the D2 girls state meet (20:25.4).

Sophie Yetter, jr., Winneconne: Was the top finisher at the Portage sectional with a time of 18:43. Finished 11th overall at the D2 girls state meet last season (19:28.8).

Lourdes Academy's Erin Moore had the top time at the Division 3 Manitowoc Lutheran sectional Saturday. She's one of the top D3 runners heading to the WIAA state cross-country meet Saturday in Wisconsin Rapids.
Lourdes Academy's Erin Moore had the top time at the Division 3 Manitowoc Lutheran sectional Saturday. She's one of the top D3 runners heading to the WIAA state cross-country meet Saturday in Wisconsin Rapids.

6 teams to watch

Neenah girls: Rockets finished first at the Division 1 Stevens Point sectional with 70 points. Lauren Tears finished third at the sectional (20:06) to lead the team, with Natalie Willes finishing fifth (20:20.3).

Kaukauna girls: Ghosts won the D1 Manitowoc sectional with 38 points and were led by Sydney Fauske (19:25.2) and McKenna Lowe (19:44.3), who finished fourth and fifth, respectively. The Ghosts finished sixth last season at the state meet in D1 after winning the title in 2020. Fauske finished 22nd as an individual last season at state (19:42.6) with Alexa Kinas placing 52nd (20:20.1).

Kimberly boys: The Papermakers finished first at the Manitowoc sectional with 62 points. Logan Salzmann was the team's top finisher, placing fourth (15:49.4). Salzmann also finished 13th at the D1 state meet last season with a time of 16:12.2.

Xavier girls: Hawks finished as the champions of the D3 Brillion sectional. Lilie Fouts was the top overall finisher at the sectional (19:09.3), with Annalise Minorik finishing third for the Hawks (19:37.9). Minorik also finished 18th overall at the D2 state meet last season (19:54.7) with Fouts 31st (20:24.8).

Winneconne boys: The Wolves placed first at the Portage sectional with 54 points and were paced by Grant Wenzelow, who finished first (16:48.57). Oliver Aberle finished second (16:58.27) for the Wolves.

Lourdes Academy girls: The Knights were the team champion at the Manitowoc Lutheran sectional with 51 points. Erin Moore (19:45.3) was the top overall individual finisher with Molly Moore placing fourth (20:42.3).

Qualifiers

DIVISION 1 GIRLS

Individuals: Elie Volheim-Bisek, fr., Kimberly.

TEAMS

Appleton North: Ava Helmbrecht, fr.; Karissa Smith, sr.; Sophia Busch, fr.; Adeline Brzozowski, jr.; Lauren Podlasek, jr.; Katherine Matheus, jr.

Kaukauna: Sydney Fauske, jr.; McKenna Lowe, so.; Reese Fauske, fr.; Jenna Kinas, fr.; Lauren Pruno, so.; Alexa Kinas, jr.; Kyla Laabs, so.

Neenah: Lauren Tears, sr.; Natalie Willes, fr.; Elsa Gruber, fr.; Lauren Linstedt, jr.; Brooke Vieth, jr.; Mazie Olkowski, so.; Lexi Dorner, jr.

Oshkosh West: Braelee Jodarski, jr.; Faith Galica, sr.; Rowen Stellpflug, fr.; Gwen Liptow, fr.; Kate Elliott, fr.; Laina Hammen, jr.; Meredith Stellpflug, fr.

DIVISION 2 GIRLS

Individuals: Rowen Volhard, fr., Fox Valley Lutheran; Jane Johnston, sr., New London; Sophie Yetter, jr., Winneconne; Sasha Doyle, jr., Lomira; Joey Perry, sr., Winneconne; Ashley Wilson, so., Little Chute; Sami Miller, so., Little Chute.

TEAMS

Freedom: Claire Helmila, so.; Leigh DeWitt, jr.; Gracie Martzahl, so.; Macy Verhasselt, sr.; Sami Vosters, so.; Lauren Weyenberg, so.; Lydia Merrick, so.

Xavier: Lilie Fouts, jr.; Annalise Minorik, jr.; Lauren Erickson, fr.; Anna Bettag, so.; Joy Krull, fr.; Catie Power, fr.; Rae Willison, sr.

DIVISION 3 GIRLS

Individuals: Isabel Baker, sr., St. Mary's Springs; Ava Lorenz, jr., Shiocton; Addison Dinka, jr., St. Mary Catholic.

TEAMS

Lourdes Academy: Erin Moore, so.; Molly Moore, sr.; Dasha Averkamp, so.; Mary Husman, sr.; Mackenzie Stelter, sr.; Addy Hafemeister, sr.; Ella Slusarski, jr.

Laconia: Molly Duel, so.; Galena Everson, sr.,; Marissa Johnson, fr.; Ava Bergelin, sr.; Gwen Westphal, so.; Allison Wright, sr.; Emma Hein, so.

DIVISION 1 BOYS

Individuals: Aaron Schimke, sr., Kaukauna; Andrew Milhans, jr., Kaukauna; Caleb Hardy, jr., Appleton North; Peter Olson, jr., Appleton North; Nathan Ott, sr., Fond du Lac.

TEAMS

Neenah: Jack Dorner, sr.; Carson Timm, sr.; Ian Cowel, sr.; Wyatt Armock, jr.; Braedy Klawikowski, so.; Nolan Smith, so.; Drew Gentile, sr.

Kimberly: Logan Salzmann, jr.; Matt Leder, sr.; Turner Behm, fr.; Brecken Olson, sr.; Owen Siebert, sr.; Jaden Sitzberger, sr.; Gage Giesen, jr.

DIVISION 2 BOYS

Individuals: Brody Nolan, so., Campbellsport; Wyatt Miller, sr., Berlin; Carter Hahn, jr., Lomira; Riley Huss, sr., Little Chute; Will Bakken, sr., Little Chute.

TEAMS

Xavier: Kenny Power, sr.; Noah Donnermeyer, jr.; Ean Mares, sr.; Luke Krull, jr.; Nate Hall, jr.; Drew Magnuson, so.; Nicholas Vajda, fr.

Winneconne: Grant Wenzelow, fr.; Oliver Aberle, so.; Sam Sarbo, jr.; Silas Sarbo, fr.; Matthew Shepherd, sr.; Beau Gilbert, jr.; Reid Cross, jr.

DIVISION 3 BOYS

Individuals: Henry Dennis, sr., St. Mary's Springs; Bennett Midthun, jr., Winnebago Lutheran.

This article originally appeared on Appleton Post-Crescent: Here are the top 12 runners and six teams to watch at state cross-country