The Tundra Transition Zone

Welcome to the Wayzata High School Alumni Cross Country Report for the week ending September 13, 2015. Let's take a quick tour around the country to see how Wayzata graduates are faring for their colleges.Note: This story will be updated as the weekend progresses. Please check back for updates. In addition, if you have a Wayzata alum athlete that is missing from this story, please email mewith updates so I can include them. Also, these will be posted as time permits. There are weeks I will not be able to post updates.True Freshmen:(Note - Some of these freshmen may yet be red-shirted for the season)Ian Eklin (Class of '15) - University of IowaCompeted at the Illinois State Invitational on 9/11 in Normal, IN. Ian was 47th overall, and 9th for Iowa.Team RecapFull ResultsIowa returns to action October 2 with the Notre Dame Invitational in South Bend, Indiana.Anna French (Class of '15) - West VirginiaWest Virginia University's cross country team traveled to University Park, Pennsylvania, to compete at the PSU Spiked Shoe Invitational on 9/11. Anna did not compete. Team RecapFull Results297 flags along the finish line at the Spiked Shoe Invtl. representing the 2,977 lost on 9/11Thomas Lerdall (Class of '15) - St. OlafCompeted at the Alumni 5K at the St Olaf Cross Country Trails 9/12. Thomas finished 12th overall and was the #9 runner for the team.Team RecapFull ResultsConnor Olson (Class of '15) - University of MinnesotaCompeted at the Oz Memorial on 9/11 held at Les Bolstad golf course. Team RecapFull ResultsQuote: "Minnesota's four newcomers competed unattached on Friday night in their collegiate debuts. Connor Olson finished seventh in 19:13.0, Joey Duerr came in 15th at 19:40.6, Shane Streich finished 18th in 19:48.3 and Evan Ferlic came across the line at 19:51.9 to finish 20th."Click on thumbnail for larger viewJack Prazich (Class of '15) - Santa Clara (CA)Next competes at the San Francisco Quad Invite on 9/17.Red-Shirt Freshmen:McKenna Evans (Class of '14) - University of NevadaNext competes on 9/19 at the Sundodger Invitational at Lincoln Park in Seattle.Sophomores:Aaron Breyer (Class of '14) - South DakotaNext competes at the Roy Griak Invitational on 9/26.Mary Franke (Class of '14) - Colorado StateNext competes at the Roy Griak Invitational on 9/26.Annika Halverson (Class of '14) - Bethel (MN)Competed at the UW-River Falls Falcon Invite. The women's 6000-meter race was held at the Kilkarney Hills golf course in River Falls, WI. Annika placed 3rd overall, and her 6K time of 22:27 would place her 13th in the nation as of 9/12 (all college levels; reported MileSplit times). Full ResultsRiver Falls XC Meet - Falcon Invitational — with Halle Marr, Nikki Betzler, Rachel Needham and Annika Halverson.Juniors:Adam Brandt (Class of '13) - University of St. ThomasNext competes at the St. Olaf Invite on 9/19.Lauren Farquhar (Class of '13) - Bethany Lutheran College (MN)Lauren placed sixth overall at the Dutch Invitational held on 9/5 in Pella, IA. At that time, her 6K time of 25:47 lead all MN women for that distance.Full ResultsNext competes at the St. Olaf Invite on 9/19.Click on thumbnail for larger viewSeniors:Mata Agre (Class of '12) - GustavusCompeted at the UW-River Falls Falcon Invite. The women's 6000-meter race was held at the Kilkarney Hills golf course in River Falls, WI. Mata finished 14th overall. Team RecapFull ResultsQuote: "Mata Agre (Sr., Medina, Minn.) (23:45.65), Lydia Hayes (So., Decorah, Iowa) (23:45.76), and Lotus Schifsky (Fy., Prescott, Wis.) (23:46.05) formed a formidable pack in the middle and rounded out the Gustie scoring, placing 14th, 15th, and 16th, respectively."Marit Sonnesyn (Class of '13) - GustavusCompeted at the UW-River Falls Falcon Invite. The women's 6000-meter race was held at the Kilkarney Hills golf course in River Falls, WI. Marit finished 6th overall. Team RecapFull ResultsQuote: "Seniors Lauren Shurson (Chanhassen, Minn.) and Marit Sonnesyn (Plymouth, Minn.) led the Gusties on the afternoon. Shurson finished in fifth place with a time of 22:41.71, while Sonnesyn was right behind her, placing sixth in 22:44.77.“Lauren and Marit are doing a great job in leading our team, said Bahr. “I'm proud of how they've both stepped up…they've been great role models for our younger runners.”Halverson & Sonnesyn battle late in the race.Josh Thorson (Class of '12) - UW-Eau ClaireNext competes at the St. Olaf Invite on 9/19.

Welcome to the Wayzata High School Alumni Cross Country Report for the week ending September 5, 2015. Let's take a quick tour around the country to see how Wayzata graduates are faring for their colleges.Note: This story will be updated as the weekend progresses. Please check back for updates. In addition, if you have a Wayzata alum athlete that is missing from this story, please email mewith updates so I can include them. Also, these will be posted as time permits. There are weeks I will not be able to post updates.True Freshmen:(Note - Some of these freshmen may yet be red-shirted for the season)Ian Eklin (Class of '15) - University of IowaCompeted at Hawkeye Early Bird Invitational on 9/4 at the Mon River Rail Trail. Ian was 3rd overall, running unattached. Team RecapFull ResultsQuote: "Ian Eklin, a freshman from Plymouth, Minnesota, placed third in the men's 6,000-meters. Eklin competed unattached in his first collegiate race, finishing four seconds behind the winner in 19:13.5. Eklin, one of three unattached freshman to finish in the top 20, finished 11 spots ahead of Iowa's top scorers."Paul Epland (Class of '15) - Sarah Lawrence College (NY)Did not compete at the Baruch Invitational on 9/6 held at Van Courtlandt Park, Bronx NY. 15-second video of the start:   Full ResultsAnna French (Class of '15) - West VirginiaCompeted at WVU Alumni Open on 9/1 at the Mon River Rail Trail. Anna was 7th overall. It has not yet been determined if Anna will red-shirt or not.Team RecapFull ResultsQuote: "“The most impressive high school resume is Minnesota native Anna French. Anna has the potential to have an immediate impact on the Mountaineer program,” said coach SeanCleary.Thomas Lerdall (Class of '15) - St. OlafCompeted at the Augsburg Dual on 9/5 geld at Riverside Park. Thomas took fifth overall, and was the top runner for St. Olaf. Note: The St. Olaf men's cross country team only sent its first years to run in the Augie Open 5K.Team RecapFull ResultsLerdall is in bib 3363Connor Olson (Class of '15) - University of MinnesotaHas not competed yet.Gopher freshmen class of Shane Streich, Evan Ferlic, Connor Olson, Joey Duerr Jack Prazich (Class of '15) - Santa Clara (CA)Competed at USF Invitational at Golden Gate Park's Hellman Hollow Meadow on 9/5. Jack was 49th overall. Full ResultsRed-Shirt Freshmen:McKenna Evans (Class of '14) - University of NevadaCompeted at Nature's Bakery Nevada Twilight Classic on 9/4. McKenna was 13th overall, and the 8th runner for Nevada. Team RecapFull ResultsSophomores:Aaron Breyer (Class of '14) - South DakotaCompeted at the Bison Open in Fargo on 9/4. Aaron placed 6th overall.Team RecapFull ResultsMary Franke (Class of '14) - Colorado StateCompeted at the CSU Invite in Fort Collins on 9/4. Mary was 48th overall.Full ResultsAnnika Halverson (Class of '14) - Bethel (MN)Competed at the Augsburg Dual on 9/5 geld at Riverside Park. Annika took first overall.Full ResultsHalverson will be a top MIAC runner again this seasonJuniors:Adam Brandt (Class of '13) - University of St. ThomasCompeted at Crown College Invite held in St. Bonifacius, MN on 9/5. Adam finished 11th overall. Full Results (Click on Sheet 3 of the Excel file)Lauren Farquhar (Class of '13) - Bethany Lutheran College (MN)Did not compete.Josh Thorson (Class of '12) - UW-Eau ClaireCompeted at the UWEC Alumni Open on 9/5.No results posted yet.Thorson delivers team preview (video).Seniors:Mata Agre (Class of '12) - GustavusCompeted at Gustie Invite held in the Linnaeus Arboretum on 9/5. Mata was 16th overall.Team Recap. Full Results.Marit Sonnesyn (Class of '13) - GustavusCompeted at Gustie Invite held in the Linnaeus Arboretum on 9/5. Marit was second overall. Team Recap. Full Results.Quote: "Marit Sonnesyn (Sr., Plymouth, Minn.) was the Gusties' leader by finishing the 5k with a time of 20:22.2, good for second place overall. I was pleased with the way our team raced today,” said Coach Dale Bahr. "When healthy, Marit is one of the top runners in the MIAC and she proved that today with a nice performance." Sonnesyn at Gustie Invite

Welcome to the Wayzata High School Alumni Indoor Track Report for the week ending April 12, 2015. Let's take a quick tour around the country to see how Wayzata graduates are faring for their colleges.Note: This story will be updated as the weekend progresses. Please check back for updates. In addition, if you have a Wayzata alum athlete that is missing from this story, please email mewith updates so I can include them.  Sunday editionCompeting this weekend:Mata Agre (Class of '12) - GustavusCompeted at the Lee Krough Invitational. Mata ran the Women's 3000 Meter Steeplechase, placing 3rd with a time of 12:12.51.Complete ResultsTeam Recap. Quote: "Rounding out Gustavus's top performances with third place finishes was Kaitlin Bembenek (Jr., Prior Lake, Minn.), Haley Kemper (Sr., Prior Lake, Minn.), and Mata Agre (So., Medina, Minn.). Bembenek went 1:01.51 in the 400-meter dash, Kemper clocked a 1:12.44 in the 400-meter hurdles, and Agre posted a time of 12:12.51 in the 3000-meter steeplechase."Mata has run even faster this season, with a time that places her 45th in the nation for D3 colleges.Click on thumbnail for larger view.Mata during the steeplechase.Lauren Farquhar (Class of '13) - Bethany Lutheran College (MN)Competed at the Lee Krough Invitational. Lauren ran the Women's 3000 Meter Steeplechase, placing 4th with a time of 12:52.66.Complete ResultsTeam RecapMary Franke (Class of '14) - Colorado StateCompeted at the University of Colorado Invite this weekend. She ran the Women's 3000 in 10:46, placing ninth. If Mary was not red-shirted, her time would place in the top 10 for the Mountain West Conference.Team RecapFull ResultsAnnika Halverson (Class of '14) - Bethel (MN)Competed at the Hamline Invitational. Annika won the Women's 1500 Meters in 4:39.79. Depending on other weekend results, her time should place her within the top 10 in the nation amongst D3 colleges.Complete ResultsTeam Recap. Quote: "The Royal women enjoyed particular success in the distance events on Saturday, as several athletes easily surpassed their season and career-bests.  Freshman Annika Halverson ascended to No. 15 (actually 14th...see below) in the nation in the 1500-meter run with a time of 4:39.79, while teammates Mollie Gillberg and Melody Waltontook the top-two spots in the 3000-meter steeplechase."Halverson won the 1500 at Hamline on Saturday.Click on thumbnail for larger viewMarit Sonnesyn (Class of '13) - GustavusCompeted at the Lee Krough Invitational. Marit ran the Women's 5000 meters, placing 2nd in a time of 18:42.81. Should her time hold through the weekend, she'll be in the top 3 in the MIAC.Complete ResultsTeam Recap. Quote: "On the track, Courtney Branch (Jr., Minnetonka, Minn.) and Marit Sonnesyn (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) both finished runner-up in their respective race. Branch crossed the finish line in 5:09.30 in the 1,500-meter run, and Sonnesyn came in behind Fermoyle in 18:42.81 in the 5,000-meter run."Marit's time places her 3rd best in the MIAC.Click on thumbnail for larger view.Adam Brandt (Class of '13) - University of St. ThomasCompeted at the Hamline Invitational. Adam ran the Men's 5000 Meters in 16:07.84.Complete ResultsAaron Breyer (Class of '14) - South DakotaCompeted at the Husker Spring Invite in Lincoln, NE. Aaron ran in the Men's 3000, placing tenth in a time of 9;01.97.Team Recap Full ResultsBrian Jarvey (Class of '12) - University of St. ThomasCompeting at the Hamline Invitational. Brian anchored the Tommies 4x100 relay to a 3rd place finish in 42.49. Brian was also scheduled to run in the Men's 400 Meters but did not start his heat.Complete ResultsJoe Meister (Class of '13) - UW-Eau ClaireCompeted at the UW-Platteville Invitational. Joe ran the Men's 3000 meter steeplechase and placed 5th with a time of 10:19.15.Heat SheetsLive ResultsDerek Peterson (Class of '13) - Lipscomb (TN)Competing at the Boston-Moon Classic in Nashville. Derek was scheduled to run in the Men's 1500 Meters, but did not appear in the results.Full ResultsTeam RecapJames Smith (Class of '14) - Cornell (NY)Competing at Bucknell Bison Outdoor Classic. James was scheduled to run the Men's 400 on Sunday, but appears to have not run. Team RecapFull ResultsMichael Smith (Class of '14) - Cornell (NY)Competing at Bucknell Bison Outdoor Classic. Michael ran the Men's 400, placing 11th with a time of 48.93. He also ran the third leg of the Men's 4x100 which placed 8th with a time of 42.55. He is also anchored the Men's 4x400 relay on Sunday to a 4th place finish in a time of 3:16.49. Full ResultsTeam Recap. Quote: "Sophomore Tobenna Attah led the 400 group in ninth place (48.86), just ahead of Michael Smith (11th, 48.93), sophomore Will Gibson (49.82), and freshman Lionel Chambers (50.48)." "In the 4x400 relay, the group of Attah (50.0), senior Max Hairston (49.1), senior Francisco Olloqui (48.7), and Michael Smith (48.5) placed fourth in 3:16.49 (IC4A)."Obinnaya Wamuo (Class of '14) - University of ChicagoCompeted at the UChicago at Chicagoland Championships (Glen Ellyn, Ill.), Wamuo ran 56.34 in the Men's 400 Hurdles, placing third. His time betters his previous PR by 2.7 seconds. That time puts him 5th fastest for the 400 hurdles in the University Athletic Association. The time also landed him in at 50th fastest in the nation for D3 schools.Team RecapFull ResultsOff this weekend:McKenna Evans (Class of '14) - University of NevadaMcKenna will again tackle the steeplechase next weekend.Alayna Sonnesyn (Class of '14) - VermontAlayna will not be running track for the Catamounts this spring.Adam Moline (Class of '12) - UW-Eau ClaireAdam appears to be off this weekend.Josh Thorson (Class of '12) - UW-Eau ClaireJosh appears to be off this weekend.

Welcome to the Wayzata High School Alumni Indoor Track Report for the week ending March 15, 2015. Let's take a quick tour around the country to see how Wayzata graduates are faring for their colleges.Note: This story will be updated as the weekend progresses. Please check back for updates. In addition, if you have a Wayzata alum athlete that is missing from this story, please email mewith updates so I can include them.  Sunday editionCompeting this weekendMcKenna Evans (Class of '14) - University of NevadaCompeted outdoors at Aggie Open in Davis, CA. McKenna competed in the Women's 2000 meter steeplechase, placing 4th overall. She ran unattached as the coach is determining which freshmen he red-shirts for the outdoor season.Complete results.Wolfpack team recap. Quote:"The Pack also had a few competitors compete unattached and post some notable finishes. Freshman Alaina Anderson ran to a fifth place showing in the 5000m run, crossing the finish line at 17:57.34. Classmate McKenna Evans also ran unattached in the 2000m steeplechase and finished fourth with a time of 7:13.20."Annika Halverson (Class of '14) - Bethel (MN)Competed at 2015 NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Indoor Track and Field Championships.Bethel Team Preview here. Quote:"Among those invited from Bethel was distance runner Annika Halverson and field participant Alyssa Solberg. Halverson reached the national meet in the one-mile race, thanks to a time of 5:00.99 at Grinnell's Darren Young Classic on February 14. The freshman's national meet appearance is her first career, but second NCAA Championship event. Halverson reached the Division III meet for cross country earlier this fall."The only Fr in the field, Halverson toes the line at 1:30 Fri. Live results: http://t.co/1ZgfwEKn4r @WayzataGirlsTF pic.twitter.com/BkO6CSnS3j— Brian Maas (@TriGeekAddict) March 13, 2015Good luck to Annika Halverson & Alyssa Solberg, who compete at the @NCAADIII Championships today and tomorrow! #d3tf pic.twitter.com/7e1ZI7vBzP— Bethel Royals (@BethelRoyals) March 13, 2015In a "who will blink first" race, @BethelRoyals Halverson falls just 0.04 from making finals in WMile at D3 Natls. http://t.co/1ZgfwEKn4r— Brian Maas (@TriGeekAddict) March 13, 2015When reached for a quote, Annika said: "The race was definitely interesting, a lot of elbows thrown my way, and quite a few shoves but in the end I learned a lot about tactics and I know I'll be more ready for outdoor nats if I make it!"Annika also received additional honors this past week:Frosh Halverson makes MIAC All Cnf Team, twice. http://t.co/06HfOMf8m9 @WayzataGirlsTF #doublethefun pic.twitter.com/Z6ZrhyL6oG— Brian Maas (@TriGeekAddict) March 13, 2015Alayna Sonnesyn (Class of '14) - VermontCompeting at NCAA Championships. March 11-14. Pre-NCAA story here.Quote:"The UVM women have their own breakout star in Sonnesyn, the league's Nordic rookie of the year. Sonnesyn and former Rutland High School standout Cirelli had success at the same venue in the league finale (fourth and sixth, respectively, in freestyle), which their coach feels sets them up for another strong showing."Day One Catamount Recap here. Results here. Quote: "Alayna Sonnesyn, the 2015 EISA Women's Nordic Rookie of the Year, was 22nd (15:35.5) in her NCAA debut to round out the Catamounts competing."Day Three Catamount Recap here. Results here. Quote: "Stephanie Kirk finished 21st (50:42.9) and Alayna Sonnesyn was 28th (52:14.8) to complete her first NCAA Championship experience."Alayna & Mom, JillBrian Jarvey (Class of '12) - University of St. ThomasWhile off from competing this weekend, Jarvey received honors nonetheless. He was named Outstanding MIAC Track Athlete. Quote:"Jarvey was named the top track athlete at the 2014 meet for his role in St. Thomas' 31st-straight MIAC indoor title, as the Tommies have now won the meet in each of its 31 years of existence. Jarvey won a second-straight MIAC title in both the 200- and 400-meter dash, as he won the 200 with a time of 22.52 seconds, and the 400 in 49.37 seconds. He also anchored St. Thomas' first-place 4x400-meter relay team, which finished with a time of 2:23.77, to help him go a perfect 3-for-3 in his MIAC indoor races."Brian Jarvey: From Popp's School of Speed to MIAC Outstanding Track Athlete. http://t.co/28vKKRCvaF @WayzataTrack pic.twitter.com/DW8qvwCnrz— Brian Maas (@TriGeekAddict) March 13, 2015Adam Moline (Class of '12) - UW-Eau ClaireCompeted at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Roanoke College. Blugold team recap on DMW National victory. Quote:"The distance medley relay of Adam Moline (Jr.-Maple Grove, MN/Wayzata), Will LaJeunesse (Jr.-Belle Plaine, MN), Ryan Graham (So.-Maple Grove, MN) and Josh Thorson (Fr.-Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) flew past the competition posting a time of 9:54.82 which was more than 3.5 seconds faster than their next closest finisher.  Their time shattered the school record of 9:59.45 set on March 5, 2011 at UW-Stevens Point."Complete results. Men's DMR results.Moline leads off the National winning DMR. Click thumbnail for larger view.Michael Smith (Class of '14) - Cornell (NY)Update on Michael: He suffered a minor hamstring injury and is expected back to competing in the near future.Up next: At Texas Relays (Austin), March 26 - 28.Josh Thorson (Class of '12) - UW-Eau ClaireCompeted at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Roanoke College. Anchored the national winning DMR and placed 3rd in the Men's 3000.Blugold team recap on DMW National victory. Quote:"The distance medley relay of Adam Moline (Jr.-Maple Grove, MN/Wayzata), Will LaJeunesse (Jr.-Belle Plaine, MN), Ryan Graham (So.-Maple Grove, MN) and Josh Thorson (Fr.-Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) flew past the competition posting a time of 9:54.82 which was more than 3.5 seconds faster than their next closest finisher.  Their time shattered the school record of 9:59.45 set on March 5, 2011 at UW-Stevens Point."Complete results. Men's DMR results. Blugold team recap. Quote:"Josh Thorson (So.-Plymouth, MN/Wayzata) placed third in the 3,000-meter run with a school record time of 8:11.80.  Thorson broke his previous school record of 8:17.90 set on February 13, 2015 at the St. Thomas Invitational."Thorson anchors the National winning DMR. Click thumbnail for larger view.National recap here. Quote:"In the men's race, national record holders Amherst established a very solid lead with 800 meters to go on the anchor leg. Behind them, something that would have qualified as "strange" if not for the women's 5k was playing out. Whitewater dropped the baton very early in the race and fell about 150 meters behind. Their anchor leg, Dawson Miller, was running in lane 2 so as to avoid interfering with the actual race. But late in the leaders' leg, Miller ended up with the chase pack about ten meters–in his case, 210 meters–behind Amherst. He appeared to say something to Eau Claire's Josh Thorson, tucked into the rail, and Miller and Thorson actually caught Amherst anchor Greg Turissini. Once the gap was closed, Thorson powered away from the field and beat Amherst by five seconds, 9:54-9:59. La Crosse slipped in for second and the Lord Jeffs grabbed third. (That's much better than their tenth place finish at nationals the last time they set the DMR national record in the regular season) Whitewater was later disqualified for Miller's pacing." Here's what the Eau Claire boys had to say about the whole race:Here's my bootleg video of the 3000 meter race: Thorson 3000 D3 Nationals from Brian Maas on Vimeo.Off this weekend:Lauren Farquhar (Class of '13) - Bethany Lutheran College (MN)Lauren will run outdoor track for the Vikings this spring. She is a hurdle specialist. In 2014, she placed 5th in the 400 hurdles at the UMAC outdoor championships. Word is she will run the steeple this coming season. Her first outdoor meet will be April 11 at Gustavus. Mary Franke (Class of '14) - Colorado StateInjury issues have interrupted Franke's freshman year, and she has been red-shirted. She continues to workout with the Rams team and is currently gearing up for the outdoor season where she will run unattached. Next race tentatively set for March 28th in Fort Collins (CO). 5K or 10K distance.Marit Sonnesyn (Class of '13) - GustavusHer first outdoor meet will be April 11 at Gustavus.Adam Brandt (Class of '13) - University of St. ThomasUp next: Hamline Invite on April 11Aaron Breyer (Class of '14) - South DakotaUp next: At Tulsa (OK) Duals, March 20-21Joe Meister (Class of '13) - UW-Eau ClaireUp next: At Emory Classic, March 20-21. Derek Peterson (Class of '13) - Lipscomb (TN)Up Next: Alabama Relays, March 19-20James Smith (Class of '14) - Cornell (NY)Up next: At Texas Relays (Austin), March 26 - 28.Obinnaya Wamuo (Class of '14) - University of ChicagoUp next: Ted Haydon Invitational (Outdoor) in Chicago on April 4.Upper Midwest Notable NewsErin Teschuk (NDSU)Erin placed 5th in the Mile, 7th in 3,000m at the NCAA Indoor Championships.Bison recap.

Welcome to the Wayzata High School Alumni Indoor Track Report for the week ending March 1, 2015. Let's take a quick tour around the country to see how Wayzata graduates are faring for their colleges.Note: This story will be updated as the weekend progresses. Please check back for updates. In addition, if you have a Wayzata alum athlete that is missing from this story, please email mewith updates so I can include them.  Monday morning editionMcKenna Evans (Class of '14) - University of NevadaMcKenna is running in the Mountain West Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M. On Friday, she anchored the Women's DMR to a 7th place finish with a time of 12:08.55. Friday's Results. Saturdays's Final Results. Final Team Scores. Wolfpack Team recap.Up next: NCAA Indoor Championships, March 13-14.Evans takes the anchor hand-off.Mary Franke (Class of '14) - Colorado StateInjury issues have interrupted Franke's freshman year, and she has been red-shirted. She continues to workout with the Rams team and is currently gearing up for the outdoor season where she will run unattached. Next race TBD.Annika Halverson (Class of '14) - Bethel (MN)While the majority of the Bethel team was at the Kilt Classic, hosted by Macalester on Feb 27, a small contingent attend the Ole Opener in Northfield. Annika anchored the Women's DMR to a 3rd place finish with a time of 12:08.19."The day actually started for the women at the meet in Northfield as the Royals sent their distance medley relay team to St. Olaf to try to secure a spot in the national meet. The women broke the school record with a time of 12:08.19, which currently places them 12th in the nation with the top 15 teams qualifying for nationals."Ole Opener Results. Bethel Team recap.Up next: MIAC Championships, March 6-7.Alayna Sonnesyn (Class of '14) - VermontAlayna is skiing in the EISA Championships (at St. Lawrence) Feb 27-28. On day 1, she finished 4th overall on the Women's 5K freestyle.Day One Results Day One Team Recap"The Vermont women finished 3-4-5-6 in the freestyle Nordic race. Stephanie Kirk earned her first podium appearance of the season, placing third with a time of 16:09.9. Teammates Alayna Sonnesyn, Marion Woods and MK Cirelli, followed in fourth through sixth, respectively, as the Catamounts dominated the top-10 finishers."On Saturday, Alayna finished 9th in the 15K Classic event."In the women's classic race four Catamounts finished in the top-10, led by Marion Wood's fifth place finish, her best of the season. Woods crossed the finish line in a time of 53:51.6. Annika Taylor of New Hampshire won the race with a time of 53:10.8 and the Middlebury duo of Heather Mooney and Kelsey Phinney rounded out the podium. MK Cirelli was the second Catamount across the finish line to place seventh overall. Alayna Sonneysen and Stephanie Kirk followed in ninth and 10th place, respectively."Day Two Results.Vermont team recap.Up next: NCAA Championships. March 11-14Marit Sonnesyn (Class of '13) - GustavusMarit just finished the Nordic season at NCAA Regionals this weekend. She finished 12th overall in the Women's Freestyle 5K. Full Results. She also finished 18th overall in the Women's Classic 15K race. Full Results. Marit plans to compete in outdoor track this coming season.Click on thumbnail for larger image.Click on thumbnail for larger image.Adam Brandt (Class of '13) - University of St. ThomasAdam ran in the 3000 at the Ole Opener in Northfield on Feb 27. His time was 9:20.06.Ole Opener ResultsTommies Team recap.Up next: MIAC Championships, March 6-7.Aaron Breyer (Class of '14) - South DakotaUSD is competing at the Summit League Championships on Feb 27-28 in Fargo. Breyer ran the 3rd leg in the DMR helping the USD team to a 2nd place finish in 10:17.99.On Saturday, Breyer finished 11th in the mile with a time of 4:22.63, bettering his season best by nearly 8 seconds. Complete results. Coyote team recap.Up next: NCAA Indoor Championships, March 13-14.Derek Peterson (Class of '13) - Lipscomb (TN)Derek competed at the Atlantic Sun Indoor Championships Feb 27 - March 1. He led off the DMR, which took 3rd place with a time of 10:30.32. On Day Two, he placed 10th in the mile with a season best time of 4:27.30Live resultsBisons Team recap Day 1.Up Next: NCAA I Indoor National Championships, March 13-14Brian Jarvey (Class of '12) - University of St. ThomasBrian anchored the 4x400 relay to first place at the Ole Opener in Northfield on Feb 27. The finishing time was 3:21.77.Ole Opener ResultsTommies Team recap.Up next: MIAC Championships, March 6-7.Joe Meister (Class of '13) - UW-Eau ClaireAt WIAC Championship, Feb 27-28. Joe appears to have the weekend off from competing.Complete results. Blugold team recap.Up next: UWSP Last Chance, March 7.Adam Moline (Class of '12) - UW-Eau ClaireCompeting at the WIAC Championship, Feb 27-28. On Friday, Moline led off the DMR, and helped the team to a 3rd place finish in 10:13.68. Saturday, Moline ran a 1:56.07 in the 800, good for a 9th place finish..Complete results. Blugold team recap.Up next: UWSP Last Chance, March 7.James Smith (Class of '14) - Cornell (NY)At Indoor Heptagonal Championships, Cambridge MA on Feb 28. James appears to have the weekend off from racing. James did not compete.Michael Smith (Class of '14) - Cornell (NY)At Indoor Heptagonal Championships, Cambridge MA on Feb 28. Michael ran the 400 prelims on Saturday in a time of 48.36 and makes the finals with the 2nd fastest time. He also ran in the 200 prelims, coming in with the 6th fastest seed (21.96), but was unfortunately DQ'd due to a lane violation.Michael did not compete in the 400 finals will be run on Sunday, as per team reports, he had to withdraw due to injury."Sophomore Tobenah Attah blazed to a runner-up performance of 48.25 (IC4A, #8 all-time) in the 400, after running 49.10 in the prelims. Michael Smith ran a fine prelim time of 48.36 (IC4A), but had to withdraw from the final due to injury."Cornell team recap. Results.Josh Thorson (Class of '12) - UW-Eau ClaireCompeting at the WIAC Championship, Feb 27-28. Friday Evening Update: Josh placed 7th in the mile with a time of 4:15.15, just off his season best of 4:13.88. On Saturday, Thorson set a facility record in the 3k, with a wining time of 8:20.56. As of Saturday, that time is 5th fastest in the nation for D3 schools.Complete results. Blugold team recap.Up next: UWSP Last Chance, March 7.Click on thumbnail for larger image.Obinnaya Wamuo (Class of '14) - University of ChicagoWamuo ran in the UAA Indoor Championships this past weekend. In 400 prelims, he ran a 50.39 to qualify for the finals. He finished 5th in the finals, with a 49.91. Wamuo also ran the 2nd leg on the 4x400 relay, which finished in a time of 3:21.44"With a one-point margin of difference in the team scores, the men's title came down to the final race of the meet – the 4x400-meter relay. The Bears ended up capturing the event win and the conference championship. UChicago's 4x400-meter relay (Clark, freshman Obinnaya Wamuo, junior Ryan Manzuk, freshman Nathan Downey) finished second and posted a school-record time of 3:21.44."Results. Maroon team recap.Up next: At Wisconsin-Stevens Point Last Chance MeetUpper Midwest Notable NewsErin Teschuk (NDSU)Erin is competing Summit League Championships on Feb 27-28 in Fargo. On Saturday, she won the mile in 4:41.28 and won the 800 in 2:10.21. She also anchored the winning DMR, with a time of 12:03.54.Note: North Dakota State's Erin Teschuk broke a 17-year Summit League Championship record in the women's mile run with a time of 4:41.28.Complete results.Up next: NCAA Indoor Championships, March 13-14.Click on thumbnail for larger image.

Welcome to the first Wayzata High School Alumni Indoor Track Report of the season, as we take a quick tour around the country to see how Wayzata graduates are faring for their colleges.Note: This story will be updated as the weekend progresses. Please check back for updates. In addition, if you have a Wayzata alum athlete that is missing from this story, please email mewith updates so I can include them.  McKenna Evans (Class of '14) - University of NevadaEvans celebrated her birthday week by traveling to Boise, ID to run in the Boise State Team Challenge. She anchored the winning Distance Medley relay, running for the Nevada 'B' team.She later returned to the track to run the open 800 placing 8th overall, just off her lifetime personal record of 2:18.08. Full Story can be found here. Full Results.   Click on thumbnail for larger viewAnnika Halverson (Class of '14) - Bethel (MN)Bethel's Annika Halverson shattered the meet record at the Darren Young Classic in the mile. And her time puts her 12th nationally for D3 colleges and 2nd in the MIAC behind Ruth Steinke of Carleton. Full Story can be read here. Full results.This is coming off a week in which Halverson clocked a 3:01.86 in the 1000, which puts her 12th nationally for D3 schools and 2nd overall in the MIAC behind Emily Gapinski of St. Thomas. When asked about the 1000 afterwards, Halverson indicated she "really enjoyed it". Perhaps we will see her run the 1000 again this season.Click on thumbnail for larger viewClick on thumbnail for larger viewIn addition, Halverson currently ranks 12th in the MIAC in the 3000.Michael Smith (Class of '14) - Cornell (NY)On Friday, Michael Smith ran 22.26 200 at the SPIRE Invitational in Geneva, OH. That time tied the #10 mark in Cornell school history. This also ranks him 12th overall in the Ivy League Conference. He returned to the track on Saturday to anchor the 4x400 relay to a 4th place finish. The 4x4 team of Attah (48.8), Olloqui (48.4), Cooper (48.2), and Smith (47.2) ran 3:12.68 which is the #8 all-time mark in school history. Full story can be read here. Full results.Last weekend, Smith ran a 48.31 400 at the Sykes-Sabock Challenge Cup in State College, PA which places him 4th overall in the Ivy League Conference. Smith has a 47.40 personal best time in the 400.Click on thumbnail for larger viewAaron Breyer (Class of '14) - South DakotaAt the South Dakota State Classic, Breyer placed 6th overall for the Coyotes in the 3000 with a time of 8:54.16. The time places the freshman 20th overall in the Summit League thus far in the indoor season.Breyer has also clocked a 4:30.11 in the mile this season, good for 26th overall in the Summit League Full results.Alayna Sonnesyn (Class of '14) - VermontFresh off skiing internationally for Team USA at the World Junior Championships in Kazakstan, Sonnesyn returned to Vermont to finish 11th in the Women's 5K freestyle skate. This helped the Vermont Catamounts to a 143-point win over Dartmouth at the Middlebury Carnival. The victory was Vermont's 20th straight win on the EISA Circuit. Full story. Full Results.Brian Jarvey (Class of '12) - University of St. ThomasThe Tommie junior won the 400 (50.08) and took fourth in the 200 (22.91) at the UST Showcase indoor meet in Anderson Fieldhouse. Full story can be found here. Full results.Jarvey currently ranks 35th nationally in D3 schools in the 400 (49.94) which is also good for 2nd overall in the MIAC. He ranks 4th for the 200 (22.91) in the MIAC.Adam Moline (Class of '12) - UW-Eau ClaireThe Blugold junior took second in the 800 (1:55.10) at the UST Showcase indoor meet in Anderson Fieldhouse. Full story can be found here. Full results.He ranks 21st in the 800 (1:55.10) in D3 schools. Moline has also run a 4:21.81 mile this indoor season. Josh Thorson (Class of '12) - UW-Eau ClaireThorson won the 3,000-meter run in 8:17.90—good for second nationally in D3 and breaking the school record at the UST Showcase indoor meet in Anderson Fieldhouse. Full story can be found here. Full results.Thorson has also run a 4:13.88 mile this indoor season, good for 10th nationally for D3 schools.Click on thumbnail for larger viewAdam Brandt (Class of '13) - University of St. ThomasBrandt ran a 16:16.20 5000 at the UST Showcase indoor meet in Anderson Fieldhouse. Full Results.Brandy currently sits 16th on the 5000 MIAC leader board. Joe Meister (Class of '13) - UW-Eau Claire Meister ran a 9:01.67 3000 at the UST Showcase indoor meet in Anderson Fieldhouse. Full results.Meister has also run a 4:33.80 mile this indoor season.  James Smith (Class of '14) - Cornell (NY): Smith ran a 50.80 in the Men's 400 and was lead leg (51.5) for the 2nd place 4x400 relay at the Cornell Sunday Invitational on Sunday (2/15). Full story can be read here. Full results. Notable Wayzata NewsFormer Wayzata track and cross country coach, Bill Miles, receives recognition from the Wayzata Public School Board for winning the National High School Cross Country Coach of the Year Award. WHS Coach Bill Miles Recognition 2/09/2015 from Wayzata Public Schools on Vimeo.Upper Midwest Notable NewsNorth Dakota is now the second leading oil production state. But they aren't about to stop there.After a stellar weekend of racing at the Iowa State Classic, NDSU standout Erin Teschuk finds herself amongst the top of the national leader board with some of the current greats of distance runners. Teschuk posted a then national best time of 9:02.40 in the 3000-meter run, setting the ISU Classic meet record in the process. Full story here. Iowa State Classic full results.  Click on image for larger view

Disney has released the first trailer for McFarland, USA. The film follows coach Jim Lee (Kevin Costner), who transformed a team of unlikely cross-country runners into state champions back in 1987, and this initial footage indicates that the movie aims to strike the delicate balance between heartwarming melodrama and a lighthearted fish-out-of-water story.I'm a bit astonished that a feature film about cross country is finding its way to the silver screen. And it gave me pause as a little less than a year ago, a local parent had touted the idea of doing a feature film on the 2013 Wayzata girls cross country team that stunned the high school cross country pundits by winning a national championship in Portland, OR. Wayzata High School - Girls 2013 Nike National Champions - Photo Montage from Brian Maas on Vimeo.I shot it down. "Who would watch a movie about cross country?", I had asked. Well, Disney for one. Of course, that begs the question, which actor would play each pivotal role in a movie on the Wayzata Seven? Let's take a look.The CoachesDave Emmans, head coach (Benedict Cumberbatch)Addy Hallen, assistant coach (Emily Blunt)The RunnersMcKenna Evans (Scarlett Johanssen)Mary Franke (Emma Watson)Anna French (Natalie Portman)Annika Halverson (Reese Witherspoon)Michaela Keller-Miller (Jennifer Lawrence)Annika Lerdall (Anne Hathaway)Alayna Sonnesyn (Keira Knightly)So, there you have it. The movie won't be cheap to make because of the actor salaries, but it is bound to make somewhere in the range of $160-$170 million in US domestic sales in the first weekend alone. I think it worth the risk. Of course, it will need a producer/director. And who else to bring this film to the silver screen but the film writer himself, Thomas Franke. Afterall, it Franke who first had the idea. And since he is a parent, and obviously would have a minor role in the film, we need to cast his part also.Tom Franke (Chris Hemsworth)And there you have it, the first production meeting for the Wayzata Girls Cross Country feature length movie. Funding is being worked on by selling commemorative shoe laces. Have your own suggestion for the lead roles? Leave a comment. 

After taking the silver medal at the 2013 US ModernPentathlon National championships, Graham Maas returned home and immediately made a vow to return in 2014 and bring back gold. In this age of limited attention spans, one year is a long time for a boy of fourteen to stick to a plan. For those unfamiliar with Modern Pentathlon, the sport includes fencing, swimming, running and shooting. Athletes younger than nineteen do not compete in equestrian events, the fifth pentathlon element, for liability reasons. If you think getting your child to soccer practice each week is tough, try scheduling practice for four events on a daily basis.The first step in Graham’s plan was to become an even faster runner. Fortunately, he runs for the Wayzata cross country team. In his final middle school season, Graham went from being a middle of the pack runner to one of the top five runners on the team. Graham singled out the coaching of Chad Bartels and Kraig Lungstrom who worked with him to become better at pacing and using proper form. All of which paid off in spades. Graham finishing up a cross country race for Wayzata in 2013Graham swims year-round with the Life Time Bears swim team. It’s not every swimmer that gets to swim with the US Paralympic national coach, but again fortune shined on Graham when the swim team named Tom Franke as its head coach. Franke, was recently  tabbed the Paralympic National Coach of theYear. Franke helped Team USA to an astonishing 41 medals at the 2012 London Paralympics as co-head coach of the U.S. squad. Graham & swim coach, Tom Franke Franke also individually coached Team USA's three captains: Anna Eames (silver), Cortney Jordan (three silvers, one bronze) and Justin Zook (gold and a world record). Zook has been a key motivator for Graham, providing all the depth and knowledge required to become an Olympian. Before swimming at the Olympic Training Center Aquatic Center, Graham always pays a visit to the photo of Justin Zook, one of his swim coaches back in Minnesota In the three months following cross country season, Franke had lowered Graham’s 200 freestyle time by twelve seconds. Graham also credits Franke with something else: firing the inner Olympic spirit in him and more importantly, being a gracious and humble competitor.In late winter, Graham was struggling with his fencing. He was losing more than ever before. He was having performance meltdowns on the fencing strip. It simply was not working for him. The stars aligned again when Minnesota Sword Club director Rich Jacobson introduced Graham to Jim Johnson, the competitive instructor at the club. Johnson and Graham immediately clicked. As Graham stated, “Prior to Coach Johnson, I was just told to ‘do this’ or ‘do that’ but no one ever connected the dots for me so I never knew why I was doing something with my footwork or with the blade. Coach Johnson explained to me the why, and it all became so clear. I guess I’m sort of cerebral and I just needed to see the end game.” Graham became a much more confident fencer and it started to show in tournaments. Progress was being made.Graham & Minnesota Sword Club competitive epee instructor, Jim Johnson

Event: Wayzata Alumni Cross Country RaceDate: Saturday, August 17, 2013Location: Wayzata High SchoolHotel: Home, sweet homeWeather: 66F, wind at 7 MPH from the southOfficial Results: Overall ResultsPrevious Results: First time at this eventPersonal ResultGoal: Speed WorkoutOfficial Result: 13:39 (6:49 per mile pace)Overall: 77th (182 total)Podium Boy Result Last Year: 14:35 (107th out of 200)Goal: Under 13:30Official Result: 13:34 (6:47 per mile pace)Overall: 72nd (182 total)GarminDirect Garmin Results Link SplitsElevationSummaryI made a big jump this past week. From 1984-1997 I worked retail pharmacy. If you count the years I spent working retail as a pharmacy intern whilst in college at North Dakota State University, I had spent 17 years in this particular chapter of my life.In 1997, I started writing a new chapter when I landed a job with a pharmacy benefit management company. For the next 17 years, I applied my trade in an environment where I no longer needed to work nights, weekends, and holidays like I had while in retail. During this time, Podium Boy was born (April 2000) and I also started working from home part-time, and then finally was full-time from home for the last three years. This was greatly advantageous as any parent with a youngin' can attest to.This past Friday was my last day with this company. The time had come for me to close that chapter and write the next one. One that hopefully take me through to retirement. And more importantly, leave a legacy, be more rewarding, and be much less stressful than the past employment.I embark on this period of unemployment with a blank piece of paper, with no idea what career I might attempt to pursue. But to start with, I'm actually going to be a volunteer coach for the Wayzata Middle School cross country team. And first up was the annual Alumni race, pitting the current 7-12 grade class versus the past alumni, or parent of a current runner. Somehow, the alumni always manage to win. It was no different today.Start of the Alumni RaceI ran this race with the sole purpose of being a rabbit and pace setter for Podium Boy. We planned to go out at about 6:30 or better pace and then hold it as best we could. There are two fairly significant, albeit short, climbs that really sap the legs.I'm in the white cap, Podium Boy in blue shirtWe went through the first mile in 6:28 and I was really happy with our position and with how Podium Boy was responding to several mini-surges. Much of the course was on a single-track wood chip trail and often we'd have to surge past slower runners when the opportunity presented itself as the trail was lined by trees on either side.The wood chip trail was nice on the old bonesJust a little over one mile inWe came to the last hill with about one-half mile to go. I was started to struggle and Podium Boy was laboring on the hill. However, upon cresting I told him to go if he had gas left and he went. This was very pleasing that he was able to pick up the pace after a climb this early in the season.He opened up around 10-yards on me and maintained that going into the finish.Podium Boy zooms for the finish linePodium Boy beats me fair & squareIt was a great day to be running cross country as the weather was ideal. And it was a great way to begin my new chapter in the book of life.Next RaceAugust 25 - Minneapolis DuathlonOn DeckSeptember 14 - Park Tool "Fall Classic" DuathlonSeptember 21 - Trees and Trails 5K

Event: Gear West DuathlonDate: Sunday, May 19, 2013Location: Orono High School, Orono MNHotel: Home, sweet home (10 minute drive away!)Weather: 66F, winds at 10 MPH from SSW, light rain (heavy rain right before, delaying start 15 mins)Official Results: Overall Results; Age Group Results; Gender Results; Awards ResultsPrevious Results: Last time I was at this event was 1992, and it was held in the fall at that timePersonal ResultsGoal: Top 5 in AGActual: 3rd in AGOverall: 60th (249 total); 3rd in 50-54 AG (26 total)GarminGarmin results link Pre-CapWhat a long weekend. Friday night was spent driving to River Falls WI for the pre-event technical meeting for Podium Boy's first Modern Pentathlon. 50 mile drive took 1 hr 45 mins. Saturday it was the MP event itself kicking off with fencing at 8AM, swimming at 11AM, equestrian at 2PM, and the combined (shooting/running) at 3PM. Podium Boy came out as Male Youth C Champion (yeah!!) and is now going to Colorado Springs the first week of July to train with the Youth Development team at the Olympic Training Center and then compete in the national event. Podium has work ahead of head, there is a boy in New Mexico that might be a bit better than him at the moment.If you are curious, here is a link to photos from the Pentathlon event. And video:20 13 Great Prairie Pentathlon Highlights from Brian Maas on Vimeo.As for me, Saturday was a very long day including travel time. When I woke up Sunday I was toying with bagging the Gear West Du and just going back to bed. Especially when the weather radar showed a big line of red heading our way. Still, with rain pouring down I left for the event.Heading to the Start LineBecause of the rain, the event was delayed 15 minutes. I chose to run with the competitive wave, which means I got to leave with Wave 1 yet still be available for AG awards. I wanted to do this because I figured it would be very muddy (much of the run course is trail), and footing would be treacherous, especially on the second run. And it was muddy! Sorry, no GoPro videos...that would have been cool...but the battery was charging from the MP the day before. But to give you a taste, here are the flats I used. I used my backup Mizuno's as I knew my Nike LunaRacers would get destroyed.Before the raceAfter the race. Run One (2.8 miles; Garmin said 3.03)Goal: sub 6:30 paceTime: 20.20 (7:16 per mile pace)Did I mention it was muddy? And I fell turning a tight 180-degree turn on muddy grass. Insult to injury.Transition OneGoal: 1:10Time: 1:50Sort of a long stretch from the timing mat to the bike corral, so I'm not worried about being over my goal.Bike (16.6 miles)Goal: 21+ mph avgTime: 47:08 (21.1 MPH Avg)The bike wasn't that bad, as the rain stopped. What was bad was I had my first calf cramps of the year. I easily lost 60-90 seconds, maybe more, trying to shake those out. I was surprised as I had not had any this racing season. Maybe it was the slipping and sliding in the mud.Additionally, while I really like my new racing helmet, it got pretty steamy in there on climbs and the face shield did fog up a bit. But it cleared quickly. Transition TwoGoal: 1:10Time: 1:18At least the calf muscles did not cramp up while changing into the flats.Run Two (2.8 miles; Garmin said 3.03)Goal: sub 6:50 paceTime: 21:48 (7:47 per mile pace)The calf muscles were extremely tight as I started the second run. More of an old man shuffle. It took a good 1/2 mile before I can get into a normal stride. The second run felt better than the first, but after 250 people went through the course the first time, the second time was a swamp mud fest. I kept expecting to see lost shoes stuck in the mud.On the second run, before the mud flatsPost-CapThis does not bode well for Apple and possibly qualifying for Worlds. I will need to finish in the top 6 in my AG, and as of now I count at least seven people that can beat me. I'm just too slow on the run right now, which has always saved me from my slow bike splits.AwardsI chose to use my AG 3rd place result into the hat for the $500 gift card. I didn't win, bah!Next RaceMay 25 - Apple Duathlon (world duathlon regional qualifier). I'll have to finish in the top six in my age group in order to qualify for World Duathlon champion in August. In reviewing the participant list, this will be a long-shot at best.On DeckJune 1 - Dewey Kvidt Duathlon, in Grand Forks ND. I've yet to sign up, but am planning to go. I've wanted to try this event for a number of years. This would be my 7th straight racing weekend and 12th race of the young year.