ALBANY - Brodhead-Juda junior Taylor Bluemel looks to reach her peak performance in two weeks with a trip to state on the line.
Bluemel overcame illness that has dogged her for two weeks to finish fifth place overall and third in the large schools division out of 146 runners at the Baertschi Invitational Saturday.
"It feels really good to push it to the extreme today because these are some of my competitors for state," Bluemel said Saturday. "I'm just ready to push it and get to state."
Albany freshman Emma Guenther took sixth overall, but was third in the small schools race (20:21.7) and Monroe sophomore Ciara Kaderly took ninth overall and fourth in the large schools division (20:33.2).
Stoughton (80 points) won the 12-team large schools championship over Deerfield-Cambridge 80-95. Brodhead-Juda finished fifth (161), Monroe took seventh (161) and New Glarus-Monticello was eighth (163).
The Cheesemakers held out four of their top five runners. The Cheesemakers ran without sophomore Jordan Hirsbrunner, and seniors Alyssa Dale, Elise Rossing and Kelley Baumann.
"We are doing what is best to help us in conference," Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner said. "To finish seventh without them is great. If you put them in there, we are probably in the top three."
New Glarus-Monticello senior Bri Roska finished sixth in the large schools division (20:39.6). Brodhead-Juda freshman Madee Harding took 13th (21:24.5). Monroe junior Kayla Einbeck finished 18th (21:39.1) and freshman Rachel Meier was 22nd (21:48.7). Sophomore teammate Josie Eberle took 51st (23:29.5) and junior Isabel Bazley was 66th (24:48.3).
Kaderly wasn't satisfied with her performance after the race.
"It was a bad race today," Kaderly said. "I had my worst time of the year. I ran faster at Platteville and it has more hills. I just need to have a faster finish."
New Glarus-Monticello had four of the top 39 runners. New Glarus-Monticello junior Ashley Risley took 33rd (22:16.3), senior Sam Barr finished 38th (22:38.3) and senior Lilly Blum was 39th (22:39.4). Sophomore teammate Kelly Fredrickson finished 47th to round out the top five for the Glarner Knights (23:06.1).
Brodhead-Juda freshman Cora Purdue finished 23rd (21:53 and sophomore teammate Marifer Nieto was 60th (24:13.6). Junior teammate Danielle Dieckhoff finished 62nd (24:37.7) to round out the top five for the Cardinals.
In the small schools division, Albany took fourth (105). Poynette won the eight-team meet 48-58 over runner-up Wisconsin Heights-Barneveld.
Albany junior Sydnee Woyak finished eighth (21:22.3) and sophomore teammate Lauren Blumer was 13th (22:13.4). Freshman Madeline Halverson took 33rd (25:10.9) and junior Kylee Blumer was 48th (28:37.1).
Pecatonica-Argyle junior Samantha Erickson took 102nd overall (24:24.3) and sophomore teammate Adriana Johnson was 138th (26:48.9).
Bluemel overcame illness that has dogged her for two weeks to finish fifth place overall and third in the large schools division out of 146 runners at the Baertschi Invitational Saturday.
"It feels really good to push it to the extreme today because these are some of my competitors for state," Bluemel said Saturday. "I'm just ready to push it and get to state."
Albany freshman Emma Guenther took sixth overall, but was third in the small schools race (20:21.7) and Monroe sophomore Ciara Kaderly took ninth overall and fourth in the large schools division (20:33.2).
Stoughton (80 points) won the 12-team large schools championship over Deerfield-Cambridge 80-95. Brodhead-Juda finished fifth (161), Monroe took seventh (161) and New Glarus-Monticello was eighth (163).
The Cheesemakers held out four of their top five runners. The Cheesemakers ran without sophomore Jordan Hirsbrunner, and seniors Alyssa Dale, Elise Rossing and Kelley Baumann.
"We are doing what is best to help us in conference," Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner said. "To finish seventh without them is great. If you put them in there, we are probably in the top three."
New Glarus-Monticello senior Bri Roska finished sixth in the large schools division (20:39.6). Brodhead-Juda freshman Madee Harding took 13th (21:24.5). Monroe junior Kayla Einbeck finished 18th (21:39.1) and freshman Rachel Meier was 22nd (21:48.7). Sophomore teammate Josie Eberle took 51st (23:29.5) and junior Isabel Bazley was 66th (24:48.3).
Kaderly wasn't satisfied with her performance after the race.
"It was a bad race today," Kaderly said. "I had my worst time of the year. I ran faster at Platteville and it has more hills. I just need to have a faster finish."
New Glarus-Monticello had four of the top 39 runners. New Glarus-Monticello junior Ashley Risley took 33rd (22:16.3), senior Sam Barr finished 38th (22:38.3) and senior Lilly Blum was 39th (22:39.4). Sophomore teammate Kelly Fredrickson finished 47th to round out the top five for the Glarner Knights (23:06.1).
Brodhead-Juda freshman Cora Purdue finished 23rd (21:53 and sophomore teammate Marifer Nieto was 60th (24:13.6). Junior teammate Danielle Dieckhoff finished 62nd (24:37.7) to round out the top five for the Cardinals.
In the small schools division, Albany took fourth (105). Poynette won the eight-team meet 48-58 over runner-up Wisconsin Heights-Barneveld.
Albany junior Sydnee Woyak finished eighth (21:22.3) and sophomore teammate Lauren Blumer was 13th (22:13.4). Freshman Madeline Halverson took 33rd (25:10.9) and junior Kylee Blumer was 48th (28:37.1).
Pecatonica-Argyle junior Samantha Erickson took 102nd overall (24:24.3) and sophomore teammate Adriana Johnson was 138th (26:48.9).
