MADISON - Monroe sophomore Rachel Meier and junior Jordan Hirsbrunner battled injury and illness, but with their performances at the Badger South Conference meet Saturday earned all-Conference accolades for the second straight year at Lake Farm Park.
Meier finished fourth in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 20 minutes, 16.4 seconds and Hirsbrunner took 11th (20:49.4). Meier has battled a hip injury and Hirsbrunner is just getting over a battle with mononucleosis she struggled with this season.
"They were both all-conference last year and came back and earned their spots again this year," Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner said. "We are very proud of how they both responded and competed. Despite having a sore hip, she (Meier) did a great job of getting herself in contention to win the entire race. She's a tough runner who loves to compete.
"Jordan is almost fully recovered and I think she surprised a few people with her 11th-place finish. She's been frustrated while under the weather, but made the best of it when it mattered."
Fort Atkinson sophomore Arianna Mansavage won the individual conference championship with a time of 19:58.3. Stoughton edged Oregon for the team title 43-48. Monroe finished fourth (115) behind third-place Monona Grove (93).
"We were more than pleased with our team finish if you consider the adversity we faced this year," Hirsbrunner said. "With all of that, our girls competed like warriors and beat defending conference champion Madison Edgewood out for fourth place."
Monroe senior Kayla Einbeck took 29th (21:46.8) and junior Allyce Fahrney was 34th (22:09.1). Monroe junior Clare Hughes finished 37th (22:14.4) to round out the top five for the Cheesemakers. The Cheesemakers battled some adversity with Emma Peterson missing the meet due to a stress fracture and several other runners are battling injuries and illness. Einbeck has a thigh injury and Fahrney and senior Isabel Bazley has leg injuries.
Eight of the 17 girls who ran in the conference meet finished with personal best times.
"That tells me we hit our best races at the end of the season," Hirsbrunner said.
The Monroe girls junior varsity team also finished fourth, but just three points out of third.
"That is a good indication that we have some depth and we are going to have some stiff competition for varsity spots next year," Hirsbrunner said.
Monroe will host a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Twining Park.
Meier finished fourth in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 20 minutes, 16.4 seconds and Hirsbrunner took 11th (20:49.4). Meier has battled a hip injury and Hirsbrunner is just getting over a battle with mononucleosis she struggled with this season.
"They were both all-conference last year and came back and earned their spots again this year," Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner said. "We are very proud of how they both responded and competed. Despite having a sore hip, she (Meier) did a great job of getting herself in contention to win the entire race. She's a tough runner who loves to compete.
"Jordan is almost fully recovered and I think she surprised a few people with her 11th-place finish. She's been frustrated while under the weather, but made the best of it when it mattered."
Fort Atkinson sophomore Arianna Mansavage won the individual conference championship with a time of 19:58.3. Stoughton edged Oregon for the team title 43-48. Monroe finished fourth (115) behind third-place Monona Grove (93).
"We were more than pleased with our team finish if you consider the adversity we faced this year," Hirsbrunner said. "With all of that, our girls competed like warriors and beat defending conference champion Madison Edgewood out for fourth place."
Monroe senior Kayla Einbeck took 29th (21:46.8) and junior Allyce Fahrney was 34th (22:09.1). Monroe junior Clare Hughes finished 37th (22:14.4) to round out the top five for the Cheesemakers. The Cheesemakers battled some adversity with Emma Peterson missing the meet due to a stress fracture and several other runners are battling injuries and illness. Einbeck has a thigh injury and Fahrney and senior Isabel Bazley has leg injuries.
Eight of the 17 girls who ran in the conference meet finished with personal best times.
"That tells me we hit our best races at the end of the season," Hirsbrunner said.
The Monroe girls junior varsity team also finished fourth, but just three points out of third.
"That is a good indication that we have some depth and we are going to have some stiff competition for varsity spots next year," Hirsbrunner said.
Monroe will host a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Twining Park.
