Wayzata finishes cross-country season with two titles

NORTHFIELD, Minn., – A game of telephone broke out among Wayzata girls' cross-country fans after Saturday's state meet at St. Olaf College.

I heard they scored 36 points. Someone said they won by 100.

Close. The Trojans, ranked No. 1 all season, won a second consecutive Class 2A state title in dominating fashion. They scored 37 points, well ahead of second-place East Ridge (134). All seven Trojans runners completed the 4,000-meter course before 12 of the other 15 teams saw their second runner finish.

"Somehow we always manage to find each other and we always make a really tight pack," senior Annika Halverson said. "It's just like practice with your teammates pushing you and helping you. It's an honor racing with these girls."

Five of the six runners who helped the program win its first-ever state title last year went even faster Saturday. Aware his roster is full of self-starters, coach Dave Emmans said he "never talked to them about winning." His advice: Enjoy the moment. Cherish the present.

"We already have such a great time just being with each and pushing each other," Halverson said. "We already felt accomplished before the state meet in terms of the people that we've become."

Holding the No. 6 spot in the latest DyeStat.com national rankings, Wayzata ran Saturday with more than the field in mind. Runners referred to Carmel, Ind., High School, rated one of the nation's top programs, as "caramel apples."

Turns out duct tape doesn't fix quite everything.

Richfield senior Obsa Ali, ranked No. 1 all season, won the Class 2A boys' race in a time of 15 minutes, 15.2 seconds, leaving everything on the 5,000-meter course — including a shoe.

Already sapped by sore shins and a stuffed-up nose, Ali felt his right shoe come loose after getting stepped on. When the same thing happened at the section race, Ali had time to twice re-tie the shoe. With much less margin for error at state, he kicked off the shoe with about 400 meters remaining.

"I taped them so they wouldn't come off this time," said Ali, who edged out Wayzata junior Connor Olson (15:17.4). "That didn't help I guess."

A year ago Ali was the runner-up as a first-time cross-country runner who also played varsity soccer. Focusing on running this fall helped Ali take the title.

Megan Hasz beat twin sister Bethany into the world by 29 minutes but the sophomores from Alexandria were much closer Saturday. Bethany reached the finish line first in a time of 13:53.1 seconds to win the race. She turned back in time to see Megan place second in 14:13.9.

Wayzata ended Stillwater's two-year run as 2A state champions and held off an eager Edina team to win its seventh title.

The victorious Trojans, ranked No. 1 all season, went a perfect 5-for-5 in meets featuring their top rivals this year and ran with confidence. Wayzata scored 53 points to top Edina (66) and Stillwater (99).

"We felt if we raced solid it was ours," coach Bill Miles said. "We would have had to stumble a little bit."

Juniors Connor Olson and Ian Eklin each dropped time from last season's state race. And sophomore Jaret Carpenter set a tone by starting fast and pulling Wayzata's pack along.

Perham senior Keeghan Hurley helped make state meet history while leading the Yellowjackets to their fifth 1A boys' title in the past eight seasons.

Hurley won the race in 15:36.7 to complete what is widely considered the first father-son state champion duo. Don Hurley, a Cretin graduate, won in 1976 and 1977. They shared postrace tears and a hug.

"Being able to be a father-son duo means so much to me," Keeghan said.

Cannon Falls senior Emi Trost, a runner-up the past two seasons, won the Class 1A girls' title in a time of 14:40.3. Annandale won the team championship.

"I was quoting a song by Moriah Peters called 'Well Done,' " Trost said. "In there it says, "I want to run this race to hear you say, 'Well done.' So I ran the race to hear God say, 'Well done,' to me."