MONROE - It was a smashing debut race for Monroe High School freshmen Anika Einbeck and Jaci Hayes in the Bruess Invitational on Monday at Twining Park.
Einbeck finished 14th overall in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 22 minutes, 9.6 seconds, and Hayes placed 19th in 22:32.4 in the first varsity race for both runners.
"Definitely nervous," Einbeck said after finishing her race. "I have never really ever run the 5K. I was hoping to get around 22 minutes. It was muddy, and I just pushed through it. The teammates help you get through it. Rachel Meier really helped me in the beginning and all throughout the race. The nerves went away. It was a great race. I'm looking forward to running the rest of the season with these girls, especially Jaci, because she pushes her teammates and keeps them going."
Dubuque Wahlert had the top three finishers and five of the top nine runners to win the Bruess Invitational girls championship 21-54 over defending WIAA Division 2 state champion East Troy. Wisconsin Heights-Barneveld took third (99). Albany, which has qualified for the Division 3 state meet as a team two straight years, finished fourth (125), followed by Monroe in fifth (128) out of 10 teams.
Wahlert freshman Gabby Moran won the race in 20:18.1.
Albany senior Emma Guenther finished 11th in 21:22.4.
"Coming in, our coach told us there would be some good competition here," Guenther said. "We wanted to go out and do what we could do. I thought it went really well. It was a good first race for us. It's like our coach always tells us, "It's not how you start, it's how you finish.'"
Guenther was pleased with her start to her final prep cross country season. Coaches from Edgewood College were in attendance to see her run.
"Last year I hovered around 21 minutes," Guenther said. "This year my goal is to break 20 (minutes). It's my senior year, and I really want to do that my last year."
Monroe senior Rachel Meier finished 20th (23:06.3). Junior Elise Smith placed 28th (24:07) and her junior sister Erja Smith took 49th (26:36.8). Two of the Cheesemakers' runners battled injuries during the race and didn't finish.
"If we would have been full strength we would have probably beat Albany," Monroe co-coach Scott Mosher said.
Albany junior Megan Anderson finished 26th (24:01.7) and junior Madison Peters was 27th (24:03.5) followed by sophomore Kristin O'Bel, who placed 29th (24:15.5). Junior Kaitlyn Trow took 33rd (24:34.4).
New Glarus-Monticello took ninth (256) as a team. The Glarner Knights were led by senior Gabby Whisler, who finished 39th (25:06.4), and sophomore Molly Molencamp, who took 40th (25:07.7). New Glarus-Monticello freshman Dylan Noll placed 55th (27:29.4), senior Walela Three-Sticks took 57th (27:54.9), and junior Emily Streiff was 65th (32:57.5).
Pecatonica-Argyle junior Stephanie James finished 57th overall (26:34.1), but the Vikings didn't have enough runners to score as a team.
Monroe co-coach Jim Ingold said both Einbeck and Hayes ran well in their first varsity race.
"They will drop a lot of time in the next few races," he said.
Mosher agreed and liked the start the Cheesemakers got off to in the first race.
"We will improve a lot in the next couple of races," Mosher said. "Iowa starts a week or two before we do. There is a difference in your first race of the year compared to your second or third race."
Einbeck finished 14th overall in the 5,000-meter run with a time of 22 minutes, 9.6 seconds, and Hayes placed 19th in 22:32.4 in the first varsity race for both runners.
"Definitely nervous," Einbeck said after finishing her race. "I have never really ever run the 5K. I was hoping to get around 22 minutes. It was muddy, and I just pushed through it. The teammates help you get through it. Rachel Meier really helped me in the beginning and all throughout the race. The nerves went away. It was a great race. I'm looking forward to running the rest of the season with these girls, especially Jaci, because she pushes her teammates and keeps them going."
Dubuque Wahlert had the top three finishers and five of the top nine runners to win the Bruess Invitational girls championship 21-54 over defending WIAA Division 2 state champion East Troy. Wisconsin Heights-Barneveld took third (99). Albany, which has qualified for the Division 3 state meet as a team two straight years, finished fourth (125), followed by Monroe in fifth (128) out of 10 teams.
Wahlert freshman Gabby Moran won the race in 20:18.1.
Albany senior Emma Guenther finished 11th in 21:22.4.
"Coming in, our coach told us there would be some good competition here," Guenther said. "We wanted to go out and do what we could do. I thought it went really well. It was a good first race for us. It's like our coach always tells us, "It's not how you start, it's how you finish.'"
Guenther was pleased with her start to her final prep cross country season. Coaches from Edgewood College were in attendance to see her run.
"Last year I hovered around 21 minutes," Guenther said. "This year my goal is to break 20 (minutes). It's my senior year, and I really want to do that my last year."
Monroe senior Rachel Meier finished 20th (23:06.3). Junior Elise Smith placed 28th (24:07) and her junior sister Erja Smith took 49th (26:36.8). Two of the Cheesemakers' runners battled injuries during the race and didn't finish.
"If we would have been full strength we would have probably beat Albany," Monroe co-coach Scott Mosher said.
Albany junior Megan Anderson finished 26th (24:01.7) and junior Madison Peters was 27th (24:03.5) followed by sophomore Kristin O'Bel, who placed 29th (24:15.5). Junior Kaitlyn Trow took 33rd (24:34.4).
New Glarus-Monticello took ninth (256) as a team. The Glarner Knights were led by senior Gabby Whisler, who finished 39th (25:06.4), and sophomore Molly Molencamp, who took 40th (25:07.7). New Glarus-Monticello freshman Dylan Noll placed 55th (27:29.4), senior Walela Three-Sticks took 57th (27:54.9), and junior Emily Streiff was 65th (32:57.5).
Pecatonica-Argyle junior Stephanie James finished 57th overall (26:34.1), but the Vikings didn't have enough runners to score as a team.
Monroe co-coach Jim Ingold said both Einbeck and Hayes ran well in their first varsity race.
"They will drop a lot of time in the next few races," he said.
Mosher agreed and liked the start the Cheesemakers got off to in the first race.
"We will improve a lot in the next couple of races," Mosher said. "Iowa starts a week or two before we do. There is a difference in your first race of the year compared to your second or third race."
