MADISON - The Monroe boys cross country team placed five runners in the top 17 and won the Badger South Conference championship Saturday for the eighth time in the last 13 years at Lake Farm Park.
It marks the program's 25th conference title overall in boys cross country.
"We were definitely tabbed as the underdogs this year," Monroe coach Dave Hirbsrunner said. "The coaches had us at fourth best. We thought we had the best team and we thought if we ran like we are capable, we could win."
Monroe junior Nick Baumann finished second overall with a time of 16 minutes, 34.1 seconds and sophomore Dylan Scace took third (16:38.3).
Madison Edgewood senior Nathaniel Langlie was the individual conference champion, finishing the 5,000-meter course with a time of 16:25.5. The Cheesemakers outdueled the Crusaders for the conference title 47-61.
"We didn't think we would run away with it like we did," Hirsbrunner said. "A 14-point victory in a seven-team meet is a pretty big margin. Edgewood had won the past two titles in a row and we were not happy with that. We wanted that streak to end and we did everything in our power to make it happen."
Monroe sophomore Drake Ingold took 12th (17:26) followed by senior Thang Lu who took 13th (17:26.8) and sophomore Jonah Tostrud who was 17th (17:31.5). Each of the Cheesemakers' top five runners set personal best times.
Baumann, Scace, Ingold and Lu each earned all-conference honors with their performances. Tostrud was just short of finishing all-conference.
"If you were to ask him (Tostrud) which was more important to him, being all conference or our team winning, he'd be the first to tell you he's much happier with a team victory," Hirsbrunner said.
"To win a conference championship in the Badger nowadays is a big deal. We are the smallest team in the conference and quickly getting outdistanced by the other schools. Our guys are not afraid of that fact and actually embraced the doubters and found a way to rise to the top."
Tostrud had several spots to make up in the final mile to help the Cheesemakers win the conference title.
"He ran like he was on a mission that last mile and put us in position for the win," Hirsbrunner said. "It was a total team effort."
Monroe will host a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet Friday at Twining Park.
It marks the program's 25th conference title overall in boys cross country.
"We were definitely tabbed as the underdogs this year," Monroe coach Dave Hirbsrunner said. "The coaches had us at fourth best. We thought we had the best team and we thought if we ran like we are capable, we could win."
Monroe junior Nick Baumann finished second overall with a time of 16 minutes, 34.1 seconds and sophomore Dylan Scace took third (16:38.3).
Madison Edgewood senior Nathaniel Langlie was the individual conference champion, finishing the 5,000-meter course with a time of 16:25.5. The Cheesemakers outdueled the Crusaders for the conference title 47-61.
"We didn't think we would run away with it like we did," Hirsbrunner said. "A 14-point victory in a seven-team meet is a pretty big margin. Edgewood had won the past two titles in a row and we were not happy with that. We wanted that streak to end and we did everything in our power to make it happen."
Monroe sophomore Drake Ingold took 12th (17:26) followed by senior Thang Lu who took 13th (17:26.8) and sophomore Jonah Tostrud who was 17th (17:31.5). Each of the Cheesemakers' top five runners set personal best times.
Baumann, Scace, Ingold and Lu each earned all-conference honors with their performances. Tostrud was just short of finishing all-conference.
"If you were to ask him (Tostrud) which was more important to him, being all conference or our team winning, he'd be the first to tell you he's much happier with a team victory," Hirsbrunner said.
"To win a conference championship in the Badger nowadays is a big deal. We are the smallest team in the conference and quickly getting outdistanced by the other schools. Our guys are not afraid of that fact and actually embraced the doubters and found a way to rise to the top."
Tostrud had several spots to make up in the final mile to help the Cheesemakers win the conference title.
"He ran like he was on a mission that last mile and put us in position for the win," Hirsbrunner said. "It was a total team effort."
Monroe will host a WIAA Division 2 sectional meet Friday at Twining Park.
