ALBANY — Runners from nearly 30 schools competed in the annual Baertschi Invitational just northeast of Albany on Saturday, Oct. 10. Monroe’s boys and girls teams each won the large school team title, while Darlington girls were second in the small school division, and the host Albany won the small division on the boys side.
Tri State Homeschol senior Ruah Franzmann-Simmert won the girls race with a time of 18:26.2 — nearly a full 90 seconds ahead of the next best runner in her race. Darlington’s Alaina McGowan was seventh overall (20:18.0), while teammate Brianna Vazquez (20:50.8) was 10th. Monroe sophomore Braylin Clearly was eighth (20:28.6).
Monroe’s girls team included scoring runs from Alivia Mosher (21:18.6), Maryella Green (21:36.3), Lyla Ritschard (21:48.6) and Kaylen Cassidy (21:56.5).
New Glarus-Monticello was third in the girls large school team standings. Glarner Knights runners included Sadie Mitchell (21:14.3), Holly Maynard (22:03.1), Esther Biank (22:30.3), Adayla Babler (22:43.7) and Lucy Sidwell (22:51.1).
Southwestern/Benton won the small girls division with 66 points, just ahead of Darlington. After McGowan and Vazquez, other scoring Redbirds included Addison Black (22:30.5), Hadley Smith (22:32.2) and Madison Welacha (22:39.4).
Brodhead/Juda was eighth as a team and led by Olivia Brooks (21:33.7). Belleville finished 14th and was led by Kate Hendrickson (21:48.5).
Diem Briggs led host Albany with a 34th overall finish at 22:19.9. The Comets didn’t have enough racers to score in the girls race.
On the boys side, Little Chute’s Ben Toeppler was the first to cross the finish line (16:51.3). Monroe’s Ace Rossing was seventh (17:20.0) and Albany’s Noah Lisser (17:26.6) finished ninth.
Also scoring for the champion Cheesemakers were Eli Phillips (17:50.8), Weston Huntsman (17:56.4), Landon Smith (18:11.0) and Isaiah Ritschard (18:20.8).
New Glarus-Monticello was eighth as a team in the large school division and led by Dylan Gardner (18:10.6) and Benjamin Biank (19:03.8).
In the small school boys division, Kamden Broughton (18:35.2), Brooks Wachholz (18:39.1), Brodyn Bakken (19:11.4) and Aaron Alexander ( 19:15.7) also scored for the champion Comets.
Belleville was fourth as a team and led by Carson Biermeier (18:28.3), Henry Koch (19:24.4) and Adrian Scott (19:34.4).
Darlington was 11th and led by Marcus Kendall (18:19.2) and Phoenix Johnson (19:29.5).
Brodhead/Juda was 12th as a team and led by Ashton Henze (19:06.0).
This week holds a slew of conference championship meets, with Monroe and Brodhead/Juda running in the Rock Valley meet Oct. 15 in Whitewater, and Argyle/Pecatonica, Darlington and Albany at the SWAL championship the same day at Boscobel. Belleville and New Glarus/Monticello will run at the Capitol Conference meet on Oct. 17 at Fort Atkinson.
Monroe will host the Division 2 sectional on October 23, with Brodhead/Juda and NGM to compete, as well as Darlington’s girls squad, last year’s Division 3 state champions.
Argyle/Pecatonica and Darlington boys will be at Boscobel for the D3 sectional, while Albany will host a D3 sectional with Belleville among its competitors.
