FORT ATKINSON - The Monroe boys cross country team had three of the top 12 runners in the junior-senior race to take second in the Badger Challenge Tuesday.
Monona Grove edged Monroe for the Badger Challenge team championship by 25 seconds. There were freshmen-sophomore and junior-senior races for both boys and girls. The top five times overall for each team are added together to determine the champion. The Cheesemakers finished with a combined time of one hour, 26 minutes, 57 seconds compared to the Silver Eagles (one hour, 26 minutes, 32 seconds).
"MG might be one of the top three most talented teams in the state in Division 1," Monroe coach Scott Mosher said. "We knew we would be close."
Monroe senior Drake Ingold finished third in the junior-senior race with a time of 16 minutes, 36 seconds. Junior Kyle Legler took ninth (16:58) and senior Dylan Scace was 12th (17:07).
"All three of them were in the top eight of the Badger South," Mosher said. "We are looking for all three to be all-conference. If we have three all-conference runners we will be in good shape."
In the freshmen-sophomore race, Monroe freshman Alex Henry finished 10th (18:06). Baraboo's Garrett Exo won with a time of 17:13. Sauk Prairie had three of the top 10 runners. Monroe sophomore Dylan Fahrney took 17th (18:40).
"Alex was disappointed in his last couple of races," Mosher said. "He had a bounce-back race."
The Monroe girls cross country team finished 11th (21 hours, 21 minutes) out of 16 teams.
Fort Atkinson freshman Lauren Haas won the freshmen-sophomore race with a time of 19:22, and Stoughton junior Margaret Ross took first in the junior-senior race (19:53).
Monroe freshman Anika Einbeck finished ninth in the freshmen-sophomore race (21:01). Fellow freshman teammate Jaci Hayes took 25th (22:55) for the Cheesemakers.
"She (Einbeck) really has been running fast times," Mosher said. "We have not let down on our training. We are not rested and in our best running shape yet. We want to be running our best at the end of the season."
Senior Rachel Meier finished 34th in the junior-senior race (23:41), junior Natalie Faith took 49th (23:57), and junior Elise Smith was 41st (24:08).
"We had four girls within 30 seconds or so," Mosher said. "They are moving in the right direction."
The Cheesemakers will practice until Sept. 23 when they run in the Midwest Invitational in Janesville.
"We will be working on endurance training," Mosher said. "We will be working on our base and endurance."
Monona Grove edged Monroe for the Badger Challenge team championship by 25 seconds. There were freshmen-sophomore and junior-senior races for both boys and girls. The top five times overall for each team are added together to determine the champion. The Cheesemakers finished with a combined time of one hour, 26 minutes, 57 seconds compared to the Silver Eagles (one hour, 26 minutes, 32 seconds).
"MG might be one of the top three most talented teams in the state in Division 1," Monroe coach Scott Mosher said. "We knew we would be close."
Monroe senior Drake Ingold finished third in the junior-senior race with a time of 16 minutes, 36 seconds. Junior Kyle Legler took ninth (16:58) and senior Dylan Scace was 12th (17:07).
"All three of them were in the top eight of the Badger South," Mosher said. "We are looking for all three to be all-conference. If we have three all-conference runners we will be in good shape."
In the freshmen-sophomore race, Monroe freshman Alex Henry finished 10th (18:06). Baraboo's Garrett Exo won with a time of 17:13. Sauk Prairie had three of the top 10 runners. Monroe sophomore Dylan Fahrney took 17th (18:40).
"Alex was disappointed in his last couple of races," Mosher said. "He had a bounce-back race."
The Monroe girls cross country team finished 11th (21 hours, 21 minutes) out of 16 teams.
Fort Atkinson freshman Lauren Haas won the freshmen-sophomore race with a time of 19:22, and Stoughton junior Margaret Ross took first in the junior-senior race (19:53).
Monroe freshman Anika Einbeck finished ninth in the freshmen-sophomore race (21:01). Fellow freshman teammate Jaci Hayes took 25th (22:55) for the Cheesemakers.
"She (Einbeck) really has been running fast times," Mosher said. "We have not let down on our training. We are not rested and in our best running shape yet. We want to be running our best at the end of the season."
Senior Rachel Meier finished 34th in the junior-senior race (23:41), junior Natalie Faith took 49th (23:57), and junior Elise Smith was 41st (24:08).
"We had four girls within 30 seconds or so," Mosher said. "They are moving in the right direction."
The Cheesemakers will practice until Sept. 23 when they run in the Midwest Invitational in Janesville.
"We will be working on endurance training," Mosher said. "We will be working on our base and endurance."
