WISCONSIN RAPIDS - The Monroe boys cross country team rose to the occasion by running to a fourth-place finish Saturday at the WIAA Division 2 state meet.
Tomahawk outdistanced Catholic Memorial 78-88 for the state team title. Port Washington took third (88) ahead of the fourth-place Cheesemakers (146).
"We thought we were a top five or six team," Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner said. "We thought Tomahawk was the team to beat. It kind of went the way we thought it would.
"Fourth place at state is a fantastic finish for Monroe. It's good for the city of Monroe."
Cheesemaker senior Joe Pecora paced the team, finishing 37th in 17 minutes even.
"We were hoping for a top-five finish," Pecora said. "Coming into it (state), we knew there were a lot of tough teams. We wanted to see how we compared to all the other teams.
"We came a long way since the start of the season. We worked really hard to get here. We ran a lot of miles in the summer to try to keep it together as a team."
Pecora ran most of the 5,000-meter course at the Ridges Golf Course in lockstep with senior teammate Cullen Sampson, who finished 39th with a time of 17:02.
"They don't care who beats the other," Hirsbrunner said. "They make each other faster by pushing each other."
Monroe senior Brett DeNure took 50th (17:10) and sophomore Dylan Starck was 65th (17:23).
Monroe senior Justin Scott took 92nd (17:51), followed by freshmen Luke Peterson 93rd (17:53) and Joel Henry 94th (17:53). Peterson and Henry were in the top six of freshmen running at the state meet.
"I wouldn't have thought fourth place at state at the beginning of the year - no way," Hirsbrunner said. "I didn't think they would be a top-five team at the start."
The Cheesemakers were defined by the will to run and push each other.
"They rank right up there in competitiveness and gritiness," Hirsbrunner said. "They really like to compete. We had guys running at the top of their game at the right time."
GIRLS DIVISION 2
New Glarus-Monticello junior Kelsey Bernet, in her second WIAA Division 2 state appearance, finished 21st with a time of 15:37.
Brodhead-Juda sophomore Shannon Klein took 73rd with a time of 16:26.
Bernet, who finished sixth at state last year, will have one more opportunity to earn another medal next year.
"I think in order to place on that awards stand, everything has to go right for you," New Glarus-Monticello coach Steve Wehrley said. "Last year the stars aligned for her. This year there was not as much magic in there. You can't help that.
"I will be happy if she runs like that every race for the rest of her life. It's 300 some days until the start of next season. Top kids have to be thinking about every one of those days."
Tomahawk outdistanced Catholic Memorial 78-88 for the state team title. Port Washington took third (88) ahead of the fourth-place Cheesemakers (146).
"We thought we were a top five or six team," Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner said. "We thought Tomahawk was the team to beat. It kind of went the way we thought it would.
"Fourth place at state is a fantastic finish for Monroe. It's good for the city of Monroe."
Cheesemaker senior Joe Pecora paced the team, finishing 37th in 17 minutes even.
"We were hoping for a top-five finish," Pecora said. "Coming into it (state), we knew there were a lot of tough teams. We wanted to see how we compared to all the other teams.
"We came a long way since the start of the season. We worked really hard to get here. We ran a lot of miles in the summer to try to keep it together as a team."
Pecora ran most of the 5,000-meter course at the Ridges Golf Course in lockstep with senior teammate Cullen Sampson, who finished 39th with a time of 17:02.
"They don't care who beats the other," Hirsbrunner said. "They make each other faster by pushing each other."
Monroe senior Brett DeNure took 50th (17:10) and sophomore Dylan Starck was 65th (17:23).
Monroe senior Justin Scott took 92nd (17:51), followed by freshmen Luke Peterson 93rd (17:53) and Joel Henry 94th (17:53). Peterson and Henry were in the top six of freshmen running at the state meet.
"I wouldn't have thought fourth place at state at the beginning of the year - no way," Hirsbrunner said. "I didn't think they would be a top-five team at the start."
The Cheesemakers were defined by the will to run and push each other.
"They rank right up there in competitiveness and gritiness," Hirsbrunner said. "They really like to compete. We had guys running at the top of their game at the right time."
GIRLS DIVISION 2
New Glarus-Monticello junior Kelsey Bernet, in her second WIAA Division 2 state appearance, finished 21st with a time of 15:37.
Brodhead-Juda sophomore Shannon Klein took 73rd with a time of 16:26.
Bernet, who finished sixth at state last year, will have one more opportunity to earn another medal next year.
"I think in order to place on that awards stand, everything has to go right for you," New Glarus-Monticello coach Steve Wehrley said. "Last year the stars aligned for her. This year there was not as much magic in there. You can't help that.
"I will be happy if she runs like that every race for the rest of her life. It's 300 some days until the start of next season. Top kids have to be thinking about every one of those days."
