Irondale seventh-grader Elizabeth VanLoon was the girls' winner in the recent Northwest Suburban Conference cross-country championships. She paced the field at Elk River in a time of 19 minutes and 40.1 seconds.
"I knew she could be in the hunt, but I didn't tell her that before the race," Knights' coach Brent McGrew said. "She's very consistent for a young runner; she has good pacing ability."
VanLoon prefers to stay just behind the leaders, McGrew said, then surpass them later in the 5,000-meter races as they slow and she maintains.
Irondale competes Thursday at Anoka in the Class 2A, Section 5 championships.
Milestones on the mat
Centennial senior wrestler Jakob Bergeland enjoyed a huge week. He took second at the Super 32 national tournament Oct. 16 in North Carolina and three days later committed to the Gophers. Bergeland won the Class 3A state title at 132 pounds last season.
Five to be honored
Park of Cottage Grove announced its 2016 Hall of Fame class: Marie (Borner) Ferda, Jim Heinz, Tom Patterson, Jennifer Pfeiffer and Charles Whitbred Jr. The induction ceremony takes place at 5 p.m. on Nov. 19 at River Oaks Golf Course in Cottage Grove.
Band off to Liberty Bowl
The Champlin Park marching band will perform at the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 30 in Memphis. The Rebels will join marching bands from across the country in the halftime show finale of this major college bowl game. Director Steve Johnson will lead a group of 70 students.
David La Vaque
