MONROE - Facing the WIAA Division 2 state runner-up in Madison Edgewood senior Amy Davis is a tall order for any runner. New Glarus-Monticello senior Bri Roska welcomes the challenge to push herself each time she runs against Davis.
Davis won the Bruess Invitational 4,000-meter run Tuesday at Twining Park with a blistering time of 14 minutes, 49.1 seconds. Roska finished fourth place (16:35.7) and Albany freshman Emma Guenther took fifth (16:40.5).
"Davis is way up there ahead of me," Roska said. "It was definitely a tough day. I felt like my sprint was decent. I felt strong coming in. I just wanted to see where I'm at compared to last year."
Guenther was nervous leading up to her first race. Her breakout race showed she could be one of the top newcomers to cross country on the varsity this season.
"It was a little nerve-wracking because I was on varsity," Guenther said. "I tried to keep pace with my other teammates and once I felt in a groove, I picked other people off. I just want to do my best this year. My goal is to make it to state someday."
Dubuque Hempstead slipped by Madison Edgewood for the team championship 50-67. Monroe took third (89) behind sophomore Ciara Kaderly who finished ninth overall (16:58.9). Monroe senior Elise Rossing finished 13th (17:13.7) and sophomore Jordan Hirsbrunner took 21st (17:35.3). Senior teammate Ramsey Benkert took 28th (18:01.1) and junior Kayla Einbeck was 29th (18:08.1).
"It's way better than last year," Caderly said of her finish. "I ran JV last year. I just wanted to do my best. My biggest challenge is working on my pace so I don't kill myself. I need to mentally try to be stronger. I need to tell myself that I can do it instead of telling myself that I can't."
Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner was excited to see the starting point the girls are at after one race.
"Our girls ran the downhills very aggressively and finished with some pretty good kicks," the coach said. "Most of our runners advanced their place in the final 400 meters. Ciara started out the year with a bang putting herself in the top ten with a ninth-place finish. Our coaching staff was proud of our third-place finish."
Monroe freshman Rachel Meier won the JV race (17:17.3), which would have placed her as the No. 3 runner for the Cheesemakers if she had ran the varsity race.
"She showed a lot of guts and determination to beat the entire 115 person field," he said.
New Glarus-Monticello finished sixth as a team (147). New Glarus-Monticello junior Ashley Risley finished 24th (17:50), just ahead of Albany junior Sydnee Woyak who took 25th (17:51.7). New Glarus-Monticello senior Sam Barr took 43rd (18:57.1) and senior teammate Lilly Blum was 47th (19:00.8).
Albany sophomore Lauren Blumer finished 31st (18:17), but the Comets didn't have enough runners to score as a team.
Pecatonica-Argyle took last in the 11-team meet. The Vikings were led by junior Samantha Erickson who took 41st (18:35.8) and junior Hannah James who was 56th.
Davis won the Bruess Invitational 4,000-meter run Tuesday at Twining Park with a blistering time of 14 minutes, 49.1 seconds. Roska finished fourth place (16:35.7) and Albany freshman Emma Guenther took fifth (16:40.5).
"Davis is way up there ahead of me," Roska said. "It was definitely a tough day. I felt like my sprint was decent. I felt strong coming in. I just wanted to see where I'm at compared to last year."
Guenther was nervous leading up to her first race. Her breakout race showed she could be one of the top newcomers to cross country on the varsity this season.
"It was a little nerve-wracking because I was on varsity," Guenther said. "I tried to keep pace with my other teammates and once I felt in a groove, I picked other people off. I just want to do my best this year. My goal is to make it to state someday."
Dubuque Hempstead slipped by Madison Edgewood for the team championship 50-67. Monroe took third (89) behind sophomore Ciara Kaderly who finished ninth overall (16:58.9). Monroe senior Elise Rossing finished 13th (17:13.7) and sophomore Jordan Hirsbrunner took 21st (17:35.3). Senior teammate Ramsey Benkert took 28th (18:01.1) and junior Kayla Einbeck was 29th (18:08.1).
"It's way better than last year," Caderly said of her finish. "I ran JV last year. I just wanted to do my best. My biggest challenge is working on my pace so I don't kill myself. I need to mentally try to be stronger. I need to tell myself that I can do it instead of telling myself that I can't."
Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner was excited to see the starting point the girls are at after one race.
"Our girls ran the downhills very aggressively and finished with some pretty good kicks," the coach said. "Most of our runners advanced their place in the final 400 meters. Ciara started out the year with a bang putting herself in the top ten with a ninth-place finish. Our coaching staff was proud of our third-place finish."
Monroe freshman Rachel Meier won the JV race (17:17.3), which would have placed her as the No. 3 runner for the Cheesemakers if she had ran the varsity race.
"She showed a lot of guts and determination to beat the entire 115 person field," he said.
New Glarus-Monticello finished sixth as a team (147). New Glarus-Monticello junior Ashley Risley finished 24th (17:50), just ahead of Albany junior Sydnee Woyak who took 25th (17:51.7). New Glarus-Monticello senior Sam Barr took 43rd (18:57.1) and senior teammate Lilly Blum was 47th (19:00.8).
Albany sophomore Lauren Blumer finished 31st (18:17), but the Comets didn't have enough runners to score as a team.
Pecatonica-Argyle took last in the 11-team meet. The Vikings were led by junior Samantha Erickson who took 41st (18:35.8) and junior Hannah James who was 56th.
