WISCONSIN RAPIDS - Monroe senior Drake Ingold closed out his prep cross country career with a medal after taking ninth place at the WIAA Division 2 state meet Saturday at the Ridges Golf Course.
Ingold made a surge from 20th place after 1 mile to ninth by the end of the race, finishing with a time of 16 minutes, 33.44 seconds.
"I think knowing I accomplished my goal I had in mind, I was very proud of that," Ingold said. "I think the plan I had went well. The second and third mile I just kept moving up. I had a lot left for the end of the race."
Lakeland senior Kavanaugh Fitzpatrick won the individual state title with a time of 15:52.88, which was about 7.5 seconds ahead of Valders senior Cody Meyer, who was the runner-up.
Ingold is the first Monroe runner to medal since Ethan Moehn won a state title and Jake Hirsbrunner took fourth in 2013 when the Cheesemakers finished as the state runner-up.
"I think it's an honor to keep the Monroe pride where it is at," Ingold said. "It just shows how your hard work pays off. It will make me motivated for the future for track season and if I compete in college."
He said he didn't want to start out too fast.
"He ran incredibly smart and tough," Monroe co-coach Scott Mosher said. "He knew he couldn't come out too fast. ... He gauged it and executed perfectly.
"Most runners leave the state meet disappointed," Mosher said. "To get on the podium and end his career like that, he has nothing to be disappointed about. It's a heck of a way to end his career."
It was a special moment for Monroe co-coach Jim Ingold, Drake's father.
"His goal all year was to qualify for state and get a spot on the podium," Jim Ingold said, referring to those who finish in the top 10. "Drake ran a very smart race start to finish. Drake was very grateful for all the support from his teammates who watched him race at state."
Drake Ingold now plans to make some college visits about running cross country and track, including to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He's also looking at Marquette, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh and Eastern Illinois.
"I plan on running in college," he said. "I will keep in contact with some of the college coaches."
Brodhead-Juda senior Michael Hatter finished 43rd (17:17.97).
"It's about where I thought he (Hatter) would finish," Brodhead-Juda coach Curt Gratz said. "For him to make it to state, it was just icing on the cake. He had a nice controlled race. He didn't get caught up in a pack that went out too fast."
The Cardinals had two runners in the girls' race. Brodhead-Juda freshman Madelynn McIntyre took 19th (20:09.60). McIntyre is the first Brodhead-Juda runner to win a sectional title. She entered the state meet hoping for a top-10 finish.
"We had that reach goal of getting into the top 10," Gratz said of McIntyre. "We were definitely happy with her race. It's probably where she was going to finish. It's different than any other cross country race you go to. Most cross country races have about 50 people there maybe. At the state meet, there are thousands. She has been used to running out front in most meets this year. At the state meet, there is a lot of people at your high level. I think both experiences will be good for her moving forward."
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau junior Dana Feyen was the individual state champion (18:39.68). Freedom outdistanced Wisconsin Dells for the state championship 68-98. Lake Mills took third (118), followed by Jefferson in fourth (155). Brodhead-Juda senior Madee Harding took 78th (21:04.87). It was Harding's second state meet.
"I think it was great for her to get back there," Gratz said of Harding. "Whatever she did was just icing on the cake. After the first couple of miles she was in a good position. She struggled in the third mile."
Gratz is not looking forward to Harding graduating.
"It will be hard to replace her," he said. "Not just because of her athletic ability, but because of her leadership."
Ingold made a surge from 20th place after 1 mile to ninth by the end of the race, finishing with a time of 16 minutes, 33.44 seconds.
"I think knowing I accomplished my goal I had in mind, I was very proud of that," Ingold said. "I think the plan I had went well. The second and third mile I just kept moving up. I had a lot left for the end of the race."
Lakeland senior Kavanaugh Fitzpatrick won the individual state title with a time of 15:52.88, which was about 7.5 seconds ahead of Valders senior Cody Meyer, who was the runner-up.
Ingold is the first Monroe runner to medal since Ethan Moehn won a state title and Jake Hirsbrunner took fourth in 2013 when the Cheesemakers finished as the state runner-up.
"I think it's an honor to keep the Monroe pride where it is at," Ingold said. "It just shows how your hard work pays off. It will make me motivated for the future for track season and if I compete in college."
He said he didn't want to start out too fast.
"He ran incredibly smart and tough," Monroe co-coach Scott Mosher said. "He knew he couldn't come out too fast. ... He gauged it and executed perfectly.
"Most runners leave the state meet disappointed," Mosher said. "To get on the podium and end his career like that, he has nothing to be disappointed about. It's a heck of a way to end his career."
It was a special moment for Monroe co-coach Jim Ingold, Drake's father.
"His goal all year was to qualify for state and get a spot on the podium," Jim Ingold said, referring to those who finish in the top 10. "Drake ran a very smart race start to finish. Drake was very grateful for all the support from his teammates who watched him race at state."
Drake Ingold now plans to make some college visits about running cross country and track, including to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He's also looking at Marquette, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh and Eastern Illinois.
"I plan on running in college," he said. "I will keep in contact with some of the college coaches."
Brodhead-Juda senior Michael Hatter finished 43rd (17:17.97).
"It's about where I thought he (Hatter) would finish," Brodhead-Juda coach Curt Gratz said. "For him to make it to state, it was just icing on the cake. He had a nice controlled race. He didn't get caught up in a pack that went out too fast."
The Cardinals had two runners in the girls' race. Brodhead-Juda freshman Madelynn McIntyre took 19th (20:09.60). McIntyre is the first Brodhead-Juda runner to win a sectional title. She entered the state meet hoping for a top-10 finish.
"We had that reach goal of getting into the top 10," Gratz said of McIntyre. "We were definitely happy with her race. It's probably where she was going to finish. It's different than any other cross country race you go to. Most cross country races have about 50 people there maybe. At the state meet, there are thousands. She has been used to running out front in most meets this year. At the state meet, there is a lot of people at your high level. I think both experiences will be good for her moving forward."
Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau junior Dana Feyen was the individual state champion (18:39.68). Freedom outdistanced Wisconsin Dells for the state championship 68-98. Lake Mills took third (118), followed by Jefferson in fourth (155). Brodhead-Juda senior Madee Harding took 78th (21:04.87). It was Harding's second state meet.
"I think it was great for her to get back there," Gratz said of Harding. "Whatever she did was just icing on the cake. After the first couple of miles she was in a good position. She struggled in the third mile."
Gratz is not looking forward to Harding graduating.
"It will be hard to replace her," he said. "Not just because of her athletic ability, but because of her leadership."
