WISCONSIN RAPIDS - Senior Ethan Moehn became the first Monroe runner in the program's history to win a state title after claiming a WIAA Division 2 state championship Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Ridges Golf Course.
Moehn put on a surge over the final 1,000 meters to outduel Shorewood senior Charlie Stahl and win in 15 minutes, 58.93 seconds. It's the fifth state title for Moehn, who won a state championship in the 800-meters in track in 2012 and has been a part of three straight state titles in the 3,200 relay in track.
"To go out and be the best cross country runner in Division 2 is amazing," Moehn said. "It feels awesome to be able to show that range in track and cross country. I feel like one of my goals was to show I can do the long distance thing and that I could do it well.
"I may not be the best runner ever, but to do it on this one day leaves a legacy for a program that has had a great history," he said. "In the 60s, 70s and 80s, there has been some amazing runners."
Monroe had three of the top 12 runners to finish as the state runner-up. Monroe senior Jake Hirsbrunner finished fourth (16:11.50) and senior Noah Tostrud was 12th (16:35.87).
Wisconsin Lutheran won the state title 63-95 over the Cheesemakers. Monroe edged Shorewood for second by eight points.
"If you set your goals high and fall short you still can achieve something," Monroe senior Jake Hirsbrunner said. "To beat a team like Shorewood, who is successful every year, is an accomplishment."
Moehn is considering attending Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri or Arkansas to run next year. For his part, Hirsbrunner used the competition with Moehn for two years to become stronger as a runner.
Hirsbrunner plans to run track in college at the University of Northern Iowa, Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee or UW-Platteville.
"He (Moehn) will go down as one of the best in Wisconsin in track and cross country," Jake Hirsbrunner said. "He pushed me to some good times. Ever since he thought I could be decent in cross country, I wanted to be a medalist."
Hirsbrunner said he would like to become a decathlon athlete.
With senior Trevor Blum coming back from illness and freshman Nick Baumann giving it a shot after a stress fracture wiped out most of his season, Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner was happy with the results.
The Cheesemakers rolled into town on a flat bed escorted by fire trucks on Sunday. Nov. 3. It's the fifth cross country trophy the Cheesemakers have won. Monroe won state titles in 1973, '74 and '79 and finished as runner-ups in 2006 and now again for 2013.
"This is as good as we could have done, considering what happen," Dave Hirsbrunner said, referring to the bronchitis and influenza that swept through the team. "In 2006, the second place was a loss. We had the best team in the state.
"This year I wanted to sleep with that silver guy running on that trophy last night. Whether your 25, 45 or 85, riding on a fire truck is cool."
Monroe sophomore Derek Christiansen finished 68th overall and 37th in the team scoring (17:38.76) and junior Jeremy Miller took 79th overall and 46th in the team scoring (17:46.43).
Miller passed 13 runners during the final 1,600-meters including nine other runners from teams at state. "He (Miller) would be the first one to admit that he hasn't had a great race this year. It was his best race of the year. He was poised and really came through," the coach said.
Baumann, who ran for the first time since early in the season, was trying to come back from a stress fracture. Baumann ran about 800-meters before dropping out of the race.
"We didn't want to risk his safety," Dave Hirsbrunner said of Baumann. "We wanted to roll the dice and see what he could do because it's the state meet. He's not healed yet."
Tostrud shocked some with his performances in the first year in cross country.
"At the beginning of the year, I didn't know what I could do," Tostrud said. "Finishing 12th was beyond my imagination. Second place with all the adversity we had is something to be proud of."
The Cheesemakers have qualified for state four straight years and 10 of the last 11 years.
If every runner was at 100 percent under different circumstances, Dave Hirsbrunner understands the Cheesemakers could have had a shot of making up 32 spots to contend with Wisconsin Lutheran for the title.
"We feel like we could have won it if everyone was at 100 percent," Hirsbrunner said. "We are not going to use that as a crutch or an excuse."
Moehn put on a surge over the final 1,000 meters to outduel Shorewood senior Charlie Stahl and win in 15 minutes, 58.93 seconds. It's the fifth state title for Moehn, who won a state championship in the 800-meters in track in 2012 and has been a part of three straight state titles in the 3,200 relay in track.
"To go out and be the best cross country runner in Division 2 is amazing," Moehn said. "It feels awesome to be able to show that range in track and cross country. I feel like one of my goals was to show I can do the long distance thing and that I could do it well.
"I may not be the best runner ever, but to do it on this one day leaves a legacy for a program that has had a great history," he said. "In the 60s, 70s and 80s, there has been some amazing runners."
Monroe had three of the top 12 runners to finish as the state runner-up. Monroe senior Jake Hirsbrunner finished fourth (16:11.50) and senior Noah Tostrud was 12th (16:35.87).
Wisconsin Lutheran won the state title 63-95 over the Cheesemakers. Monroe edged Shorewood for second by eight points.
"If you set your goals high and fall short you still can achieve something," Monroe senior Jake Hirsbrunner said. "To beat a team like Shorewood, who is successful every year, is an accomplishment."
Moehn is considering attending Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri or Arkansas to run next year. For his part, Hirsbrunner used the competition with Moehn for two years to become stronger as a runner.
Hirsbrunner plans to run track in college at the University of Northern Iowa, Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee or UW-Platteville.
"He (Moehn) will go down as one of the best in Wisconsin in track and cross country," Jake Hirsbrunner said. "He pushed me to some good times. Ever since he thought I could be decent in cross country, I wanted to be a medalist."
Hirsbrunner said he would like to become a decathlon athlete.
With senior Trevor Blum coming back from illness and freshman Nick Baumann giving it a shot after a stress fracture wiped out most of his season, Monroe coach Dave Hirsbrunner was happy with the results.
The Cheesemakers rolled into town on a flat bed escorted by fire trucks on Sunday. Nov. 3. It's the fifth cross country trophy the Cheesemakers have won. Monroe won state titles in 1973, '74 and '79 and finished as runner-ups in 2006 and now again for 2013.
"This is as good as we could have done, considering what happen," Dave Hirsbrunner said, referring to the bronchitis and influenza that swept through the team. "In 2006, the second place was a loss. We had the best team in the state.
"This year I wanted to sleep with that silver guy running on that trophy last night. Whether your 25, 45 or 85, riding on a fire truck is cool."
Monroe sophomore Derek Christiansen finished 68th overall and 37th in the team scoring (17:38.76) and junior Jeremy Miller took 79th overall and 46th in the team scoring (17:46.43).
Miller passed 13 runners during the final 1,600-meters including nine other runners from teams at state. "He (Miller) would be the first one to admit that he hasn't had a great race this year. It was his best race of the year. He was poised and really came through," the coach said.
Baumann, who ran for the first time since early in the season, was trying to come back from a stress fracture. Baumann ran about 800-meters before dropping out of the race.
"We didn't want to risk his safety," Dave Hirsbrunner said of Baumann. "We wanted to roll the dice and see what he could do because it's the state meet. He's not healed yet."
Tostrud shocked some with his performances in the first year in cross country.
"At the beginning of the year, I didn't know what I could do," Tostrud said. "Finishing 12th was beyond my imagination. Second place with all the adversity we had is something to be proud of."
The Cheesemakers have qualified for state four straight years and 10 of the last 11 years.
If every runner was at 100 percent under different circumstances, Dave Hirsbrunner understands the Cheesemakers could have had a shot of making up 32 spots to contend with Wisconsin Lutheran for the title.
"We feel like we could have won it if everyone was at 100 percent," Hirsbrunner said. "We are not going to use that as a crutch or an excuse."
