WISCONSIN RAPIDS - With a dominating performance, the Darlington High School boys cross country team became just the fourth team in history to win five straight WIAA state championships.
The Redbirds had five runners finish in the top 15 to roll to a fifth straight state title 49-106 over Boscobel Saturday at the Ridges Golf Course.
Darlington senior Jaden Komprood finished fourth overall, but third in the team scoring with a time of 16 minutes, 46.21 seconds on the 5,000-meter course.
"It's incredible to get five in a row," Komprood said. "It's cool to be a part of that for the community. Darlington cross country has given me a lot of memories. I just hope everyone cherishes it for the rest of their lives."
Darlington coach Arnie Miehe, who just finished his 34th year coaching, always cherishes the opportunity to celebrate a state title.
"It means a lot," Miehe said. "Each year you have new kids, chemistry and challenges. To meet all of that and bring it together in the end to get the job done is nice.
"I thought we would be in the mix (for the state title). You always know things can happen. A season never goes smooth. There are always challenges. It was nice to see them always meet the challenge."
Chequamegon senior Kevin Koski repeated as the individual state champion in 16:02.59. Boscobel senior Dakota Kauffman, the Division 3 Darlington sectional champion, finished as the state runner-up for the second straight year (16:27.14).
Komprood capped off his prep cross country career with his fourth state team title. He has seven state cross country medals (three individual and four as a team). Komprood, Tyson Miehe (University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Thomas Schultz (UW-La Crosse) are three of the most decorated runners in the history of the Redbirds' program.
"He's been such a steady runner for the past three years," Miehe said of Komprood. "He's a kid we can always count on."
Two of the Redbirds' top five runners were freshmen. Freshman Payton Heinberg placed seventh (17:15.61), and sophomore Tanner Evenstad was 11th (17:35.46). Senior Sean Barbee took 13th (17;37.52), and the big surprise was freshman Tucker Lange, who took 15th with a personal best of 17:40.70. Lange, who battled an illness late in the season and missed the Wisconsin Rapids Invitational and the sectional meet, returned for state and was the Redbirds' No. 2 runner at the two-mile mark on the biggest stage.
"For a freshman to go out so hard like that at the state meet took a lot of courage," Miehe said of Lange. "He took off and gave us a spark. We have that group and someone always comes through."
Two of Darlington's top five runners at state last year didn't finish in the top five for the Redbirds on Saturday but were still in the top 58 in the state.
"They (Boscobel) couldn't have three runners in before our second runner like they did at the sectional and that was critical," Miehe said. "These young kids were up here watching the state race last year and now they are a key part of the race."
In the Division 3 girls state meet, Albany finished fourth as a team. Lourdes Academy, which had all five runners in the top 28, captured the state title edging Westby 98-105. Colfax took third (127) ahead of Albany (160).
Albany junior Ciara Kaderly took ninth overall but fifth in the team scoring in 19:45.17 out of 148 runners to lead the Comets.
"I thought going in her goal was to finish in the top 10 so we could get a top-five team finish," Albany coach Tony Brewer said of Kaderly. "She did what we needed her to do."
Albany sophomore Emma Gunether finished 31st (21:32.02), and senior Emily Hauri took 35th (21:40.28). Freshman Kirsten Oliver ran to a 42nd-place finish (21:53.03) and freshman Megan Anderson took 47th (22:03.80).
Gunether has battled an iron deficiency since last spring in track. Guenther never ran a time slower than 20:59 last year, but she's working her way back to full strength.
"Emma looked great," Brewer said. "She's starting to get healthier. She did as good as she could under the circumstances. It was hard for her. She knows what is causing it now. She's on the right track."
Darlington sophomore Erin Wolf finished 37th with a personal best (20:53.77).
"She ran an incredible race," Miehe said. "We talked about running in the top third and she was in the top one-fourth. She went up there as a sophomore and ran by herself and she gave the guys a spark by running her best race ever. She showed if we do the work in the offseason we can come back and do some special things next year."
Both Miehe and Brewer expect the state meet to be a big motivator for their teams next year.
"We know, unless something happens with our sectional, Darlington, Lancaster and Boscobel will have a lot of runners back," Brewer said. "If you don't stay motivated you will be going and watching the state meet next year. Hopefully, having them at state they will want to keep their edge. It's a matter of keep working hard and improving every year."
The Redbirds had five runners finish in the top 15 to roll to a fifth straight state title 49-106 over Boscobel Saturday at the Ridges Golf Course.
Darlington senior Jaden Komprood finished fourth overall, but third in the team scoring with a time of 16 minutes, 46.21 seconds on the 5,000-meter course.
"It's incredible to get five in a row," Komprood said. "It's cool to be a part of that for the community. Darlington cross country has given me a lot of memories. I just hope everyone cherishes it for the rest of their lives."
Darlington coach Arnie Miehe, who just finished his 34th year coaching, always cherishes the opportunity to celebrate a state title.
"It means a lot," Miehe said. "Each year you have new kids, chemistry and challenges. To meet all of that and bring it together in the end to get the job done is nice.
"I thought we would be in the mix (for the state title). You always know things can happen. A season never goes smooth. There are always challenges. It was nice to see them always meet the challenge."
Chequamegon senior Kevin Koski repeated as the individual state champion in 16:02.59. Boscobel senior Dakota Kauffman, the Division 3 Darlington sectional champion, finished as the state runner-up for the second straight year (16:27.14).
Komprood capped off his prep cross country career with his fourth state team title. He has seven state cross country medals (three individual and four as a team). Komprood, Tyson Miehe (University of Wisconsin-Madison) and Thomas Schultz (UW-La Crosse) are three of the most decorated runners in the history of the Redbirds' program.
"He's been such a steady runner for the past three years," Miehe said of Komprood. "He's a kid we can always count on."
Two of the Redbirds' top five runners were freshmen. Freshman Payton Heinberg placed seventh (17:15.61), and sophomore Tanner Evenstad was 11th (17:35.46). Senior Sean Barbee took 13th (17;37.52), and the big surprise was freshman Tucker Lange, who took 15th with a personal best of 17:40.70. Lange, who battled an illness late in the season and missed the Wisconsin Rapids Invitational and the sectional meet, returned for state and was the Redbirds' No. 2 runner at the two-mile mark on the biggest stage.
"For a freshman to go out so hard like that at the state meet took a lot of courage," Miehe said of Lange. "He took off and gave us a spark. We have that group and someone always comes through."
Two of Darlington's top five runners at state last year didn't finish in the top five for the Redbirds on Saturday but were still in the top 58 in the state.
"They (Boscobel) couldn't have three runners in before our second runner like they did at the sectional and that was critical," Miehe said. "These young kids were up here watching the state race last year and now they are a key part of the race."
In the Division 3 girls state meet, Albany finished fourth as a team. Lourdes Academy, which had all five runners in the top 28, captured the state title edging Westby 98-105. Colfax took third (127) ahead of Albany (160).
Albany junior Ciara Kaderly took ninth overall but fifth in the team scoring in 19:45.17 out of 148 runners to lead the Comets.
"I thought going in her goal was to finish in the top 10 so we could get a top-five team finish," Albany coach Tony Brewer said of Kaderly. "She did what we needed her to do."
Albany sophomore Emma Gunether finished 31st (21:32.02), and senior Emily Hauri took 35th (21:40.28). Freshman Kirsten Oliver ran to a 42nd-place finish (21:53.03) and freshman Megan Anderson took 47th (22:03.80).
Gunether has battled an iron deficiency since last spring in track. Guenther never ran a time slower than 20:59 last year, but she's working her way back to full strength.
"Emma looked great," Brewer said. "She's starting to get healthier. She did as good as she could under the circumstances. It was hard for her. She knows what is causing it now. She's on the right track."
Darlington sophomore Erin Wolf finished 37th with a personal best (20:53.77).
"She ran an incredible race," Miehe said. "We talked about running in the top third and she was in the top one-fourth. She went up there as a sophomore and ran by herself and she gave the guys a spark by running her best race ever. She showed if we do the work in the offseason we can come back and do some special things next year."
Both Miehe and Brewer expect the state meet to be a big motivator for their teams next year.
"We know, unless something happens with our sectional, Darlington, Lancaster and Boscobel will have a lot of runners back," Brewer said. "If you don't stay motivated you will be going and watching the state meet next year. Hopefully, having them at state they will want to keep their edge. It's a matter of keep working hard and improving every year."
