Tartan's Nofziger emerges from Ali's shadow

Graduation and the creation of the Metro East Conference have turned out to be good things for Tartan junior Sam Nofziger.

Nofziger has been among the top cross-country runners in the metro since his freshman year.

But in the past, he wasn't able to beat Richfield's Obsa Ali in the old Classic Suburban conference meets.

Now that Richfield and Ali have moved on — the Spartans to a new conference, Ali to the University of Minnesota — Nofziger's view is far less cluttered.

He had clear sailing en route to winning the inaugural Metro West Conference boys' championship Tuesday in a 5K time of 16 minutes, 32.8 seconds, nearly five seconds ahead of runner-up Sam Bell of North St. Paul.

Henry Sibley won the boys' team championship. Tartan, despite Nofziger's strong race, finished sixth.

Mahtomedi won the girls' title behind sisters Caitlin and Calista McGauley. Caitlin, a junior, won the girls' individual championship in a 4K time of 15:32.0. Calista, a freshman, finished fifth in 15:52.2.

Mahtomedi's Chelsey Henry and Park of Cottage Grove's Annie Williams are among the final five for the Class 2A girls' award. East Ridge's Connor Stevenson and North St. Paul's Tyler King are up for the boys' Class 2A award.

The winners will be announced Sunday at the all-state awards banquet.

• Stillwater diver Liz Click announced her commitment to dive for the University of Minnesota.

• The Park of Cottage Grove boys' soccer team's bid to reach the Class 2A tournament for the first time since 1994 ended with a 2-1 loss to Rosemount in the Section 3 championship game.