WIAA state cross country meet
When: Saturday
Where: Ridges Golf Course, Wisconsin Rapids
Schedule: Division 3 girls, noon; Division 2 girls, 12:40 p.m.; Division 1 girls, 1:20 p.m.; Division 3 boys, 2 p.m.; Division 2 boys, 2:35 p.m.; Division 1 boys: 3:10 p.m.
Area qualifiers
Teams: Darlington boys, Albany girls
Individuals: Jordan Hirsbrunner, Monroe; Taylor Bluemel, Brodhead-Juda; Cora Purdue, Brodhead-Juda; Madee Harding, Brodhead-Juda; Nick Baumann, Monroe; Dylan Scace, Monroe; Erin Wolf, Darlington
MONROE - Having a father as a teacher or coach can bring some pressure.
For Monroe junior Jordan Hirsbrunner having her father, Dave Hirsbrunner, as a cross country coach has been a blessing.
Jordan Hirsbrunner enters the WIAA Division 2 state meet at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids as an underdog and one of three Monroe state qualifiers.
"It makes it even more special," Jordan said of having her father as a coach. "He's a good motivator. He always pushes me every day to do my best. It's 10 times better having him as a coach. He knows my body better than I do. He knows best."
The other state qualifiers for the Cheesemakers are junior Nick Baumann and sophomore Dylan Scace. Baumann is making his second straight state appearance and he has big expectations on finishing better than 50th, which he did last year.
"We want to show Monroe is an elite team in the state," Baumann said.
Several weeks ago, Jordan Hirsbrunner questioned if she would still even be running at the end of the season since races sapped her energy. She was later diagnosed with mononucleosis but didn't miss a race.
Jordan ran a personal best time of 20 minutes, 2.4 seconds in the 5,000-meter Monroe sectional race Friday to place ninth and qualify for state.
"It's better it (mono) happened earlier in the season than now at the end of the season," she said. "It surprised me. I wasn't really expecting it. I'm peaking at the end when I'm supposed to, which is nice."
Jordan said the Monroe sectional was a more pressure-packed race than the state meet will be.
It's the first state meet for Hirsbrunner, and she heads to the state meet with a clear mind and without lofty expectations.
"I'm not as nervous as I should be," she said. "I'm more excited. I'm just going to have fun. There is not really as much pressure now. There is a lot more competition because the runners are at a whole new level. Being mentally ready will be the big thing to worry about."
Jordan will approach the starting line with a pairing next to Wisconsin Lutheran, one of the favorites to win a state team title. Wisconsin Lutheran junior Audrey Janik is one of the contenders to win a state individual title, along with Shorewood senior Morgan Florsheim, last year's runner-up.
"Jordan will be in the starting box with all strangers," Dave Hirsbrunner said.
However, there are three Brodhead-Juda runners - senior Taylor Bluemel, sophomore Cora Purdue and sophomore Madee Harding - in the same field who could give her a boost after the start. The last three-fourths of a mile of the course is uphill.
"For the most part she will have to get out fast and comfortable," Dave Hirsbrunner said. "The last mile is challenging. You have to be mentally and physically ready for it."
He's just pleased his daughter was able to shake off a bout with mono.
"I can't give her enough credit for how she fought through it, overcame it and excelled the way she did," Dave Hirsbrunner said. "That was a big step and jump. She put herself into an upper echelon of runners."
Scace also will be making his first state appearance.
"I really don't have any expectations because it's my first year," Scace said. "I don't feel as much pressure as conference or sectionals because I don't have the team to worry about. I just have to worry about myself and go out and hit one."
Baumann has his sights set on improving on his 50th-place finish last year.
"This year I want to place a lot higher," Baumann said. "I want to make a statement. I hope to finish in the top 15 and be below 16:20."
Baumann's personal best time this year is 16:33 over 5,000 meters.
"I feel like I'm in good enough shape to run that time," he said.
Scace plans to use Baumann as a pace-setter to help push him in the race.
"I feel excited and ready to run with a teammate," Scace said. "I'm going to stay up with Nick for as long as I can. The biggest challenge will be I know I start out too fast, and I don't know the course very well."
Scace said Baumann and also senior Thang Lu, Drake Ingold, Jonah Tostrud, Ryan Peterson and Parker Ingold have pushed him to become a better runner this year.
"It's not really competition," Scace said. "It's helping each other get better and stronger."
Baumann has enjoyed the support during races this year.
"We both push each other in races and that makes a huge difference," Baumann said of Scace.
For Monroe junior Jordan Hirsbrunner having her father, Dave Hirsbrunner, as a cross country coach has been a blessing.
Jordan Hirsbrunner enters the WIAA Division 2 state meet at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids as an underdog and one of three Monroe state qualifiers.
"It makes it even more special," Jordan said of having her father as a coach. "He's a good motivator. He always pushes me every day to do my best. It's 10 times better having him as a coach. He knows my body better than I do. He knows best."
The other state qualifiers for the Cheesemakers are junior Nick Baumann and sophomore Dylan Scace. Baumann is making his second straight state appearance and he has big expectations on finishing better than 50th, which he did last year.
"We want to show Monroe is an elite team in the state," Baumann said.
Several weeks ago, Jordan Hirsbrunner questioned if she would still even be running at the end of the season since races sapped her energy. She was later diagnosed with mononucleosis but didn't miss a race.
Jordan ran a personal best time of 20 minutes, 2.4 seconds in the 5,000-meter Monroe sectional race Friday to place ninth and qualify for state.
"It's better it (mono) happened earlier in the season than now at the end of the season," she said. "It surprised me. I wasn't really expecting it. I'm peaking at the end when I'm supposed to, which is nice."
Jordan said the Monroe sectional was a more pressure-packed race than the state meet will be.
It's the first state meet for Hirsbrunner, and she heads to the state meet with a clear mind and without lofty expectations.
"I'm not as nervous as I should be," she said. "I'm more excited. I'm just going to have fun. There is not really as much pressure now. There is a lot more competition because the runners are at a whole new level. Being mentally ready will be the big thing to worry about."
Jordan will approach the starting line with a pairing next to Wisconsin Lutheran, one of the favorites to win a state team title. Wisconsin Lutheran junior Audrey Janik is one of the contenders to win a state individual title, along with Shorewood senior Morgan Florsheim, last year's runner-up.
"Jordan will be in the starting box with all strangers," Dave Hirsbrunner said.
However, there are three Brodhead-Juda runners - senior Taylor Bluemel, sophomore Cora Purdue and sophomore Madee Harding - in the same field who could give her a boost after the start. The last three-fourths of a mile of the course is uphill.
"For the most part she will have to get out fast and comfortable," Dave Hirsbrunner said. "The last mile is challenging. You have to be mentally and physically ready for it."
He's just pleased his daughter was able to shake off a bout with mono.
"I can't give her enough credit for how she fought through it, overcame it and excelled the way she did," Dave Hirsbrunner said. "That was a big step and jump. She put herself into an upper echelon of runners."
Scace also will be making his first state appearance.
"I really don't have any expectations because it's my first year," Scace said. "I don't feel as much pressure as conference or sectionals because I don't have the team to worry about. I just have to worry about myself and go out and hit one."
Baumann has his sights set on improving on his 50th-place finish last year.
"This year I want to place a lot higher," Baumann said. "I want to make a statement. I hope to finish in the top 15 and be below 16:20."
Baumann's personal best time this year is 16:33 over 5,000 meters.
"I feel like I'm in good enough shape to run that time," he said.
Scace plans to use Baumann as a pace-setter to help push him in the race.
"I feel excited and ready to run with a teammate," Scace said. "I'm going to stay up with Nick for as long as I can. The biggest challenge will be I know I start out too fast, and I don't know the course very well."
Scace said Baumann and also senior Thang Lu, Drake Ingold, Jonah Tostrud, Ryan Peterson and Parker Ingold have pushed him to become a better runner this year.
"It's not really competition," Scace said. "It's helping each other get better and stronger."
Baumann has enjoyed the support during races this year.
"We both push each other in races and that makes a huge difference," Baumann said of Scace.
