MONROE - Monroe cross country coach Dave Hirsbrunner may want to lobby the athletic department and city for more home meets with the Cheesemakers' track record for running at Twining Park.
Monroe won the Bruess Invitational Tuesday and extended its record to 97-4 at Twining Park since they started running there in 1998. The Cheesemakers clipped Sauk Prairie 48-60 for the title.
"They (Sauk Prairie) are probably one of the top teams in Division 1," Hirsbrunner said. "I knew that coming in. I also knew they have a lot of arrogance to them. That is what good teams do. We kind of feed off that."
Monroe senior Brett DeNure finished third in 17 minutes, 7 seconds. DeNure had the lead the last mile, but Sauk Prairie senior Jerry Kerska kicked it in and his junior brother Garrett Kerska bolted by DeNure the last 400 meters for a 1-2 Eagles' finish.
"Obviously, my goal is to do better than that," DeNure said. "I was really tight during the race. It's not an excuse. I should have stretched more before the race.
"They (Jerry and Garrett Kerska) are really good runners. They had the guts to come back on me," Denure continued. "I knew he (Jerry Kerska) was going to be coming. He blew by me like I was standing in water."
Sauk Prairie, a WIAA Division 1 state team qualifier last year, couldn't match the Cheesemakers' depth. The Cheesemakers had four runners in the top 10 including DeNure, sophomore Dylan Starck, fifth (17:36); seniors Cullen Sampson, seventh (17:47) and Joe Pecora, 10th (17:51).
Monroe freshman Joel Henry, the Cheesemakers' No. 5 runner, took 29th in 19:26, 11 places and almost a minute ahead of the Eagles' No. 5 runner.
"I know their weakness is their fifth runner," Hirsbrunner said. "We take our home field pretty seriously. They know how to run it."
Albany senior Jake Lincicum, who finished fourth at state last year, was ninth in 17:50. New Glarus-Monticello junior Travis Beutler took 11th in 17:59.
Monroe won the Bruess Invitational Tuesday and extended its record to 97-4 at Twining Park since they started running there in 1998. The Cheesemakers clipped Sauk Prairie 48-60 for the title.
"They (Sauk Prairie) are probably one of the top teams in Division 1," Hirsbrunner said. "I knew that coming in. I also knew they have a lot of arrogance to them. That is what good teams do. We kind of feed off that."
Monroe senior Brett DeNure finished third in 17 minutes, 7 seconds. DeNure had the lead the last mile, but Sauk Prairie senior Jerry Kerska kicked it in and his junior brother Garrett Kerska bolted by DeNure the last 400 meters for a 1-2 Eagles' finish.
"Obviously, my goal is to do better than that," DeNure said. "I was really tight during the race. It's not an excuse. I should have stretched more before the race.
"They (Jerry and Garrett Kerska) are really good runners. They had the guts to come back on me," Denure continued. "I knew he (Jerry Kerska) was going to be coming. He blew by me like I was standing in water."
Sauk Prairie, a WIAA Division 1 state team qualifier last year, couldn't match the Cheesemakers' depth. The Cheesemakers had four runners in the top 10 including DeNure, sophomore Dylan Starck, fifth (17:36); seniors Cullen Sampson, seventh (17:47) and Joe Pecora, 10th (17:51).
Monroe freshman Joel Henry, the Cheesemakers' No. 5 runner, took 29th in 19:26, 11 places and almost a minute ahead of the Eagles' No. 5 runner.
"I know their weakness is their fifth runner," Hirsbrunner said. "We take our home field pretty seriously. They know how to run it."
Albany senior Jake Lincicum, who finished fourth at state last year, was ninth in 17:50. New Glarus-Monticello junior Travis Beutler took 11th in 17:59.
