MONROE - It was a quick turnaround for the Monroe girls cross country team.
Two days after running in the All-American Invitational at Luther College, the Cheesemakers turned in one of their best performances with a fourth place finish Tuesday in the Badger Challenge at Twining Park.
The Cheesemakers were led by senior Tess Seichter who finished fifth in the junior-senior race with a time of 16 minutes, 53 seconds.
"I was hoping to get top 10," Seichter said. "I definitely made that."
Monroe senior Tessa Frutiger took 16th place (17:55) to help propel the Cheesemakers. Monroe had a combined time of 88:04, which was one minute away from third place Fort Atkinson and less than three minutes behind team champion Mount Horeb-Barneveld, the defending WIAA Division 2 state champions.
"A lot of racing in cross country comes down to guts and determination," Monroe girls cross country coach Brian Jefferson said. "I think we saw some of that tonight. We are by no means close to where we need to be, but if we keep working we will get there."
Frutiger's time was just three seconds shy of her season best at Luther College where she ran a 17:52.
"I was really nervous going into it because a couple of the girls I run with were in the freshman-sophomore race," Frutiger said.
"Our course is a lot harder than Luther. I was hoping I could run faster than Luther. For the team, I was hoping for top six."
Jefferson said that he was happy with Frutiger's performance.
"As a senior she is someone who needs to step up her racing," he said. "Today she did that. She ran her first mile more aggressive than she has in the past and it put her in a better position for the end of the race."
Monroe had three of the top five runners in the freshman-sophomore race. Sophomore Molly Hlubek finished eighth with a time of 17:24. Freshman Abby Rogerson took 11th (17:44) and fellow freshman Elizabeth Dale was 15th (18:08).
Seichter is proud to see her teammates persevere through the flu and dehydration so far this year.
"I think a lot of people on our varsity team have been pushing it to the limit," she said. "Not one of them has stepped back because of it. I admire them for that."
One of the runners who battled her way through the race was Abbey Schneider, who battled asthma, but she pushed through and finished the race.
"That was a great example for the other girls on the team to follow," Jefferson said. "She is a girl who will set that example of toughness that others really should follow. She is a tough runner."
At the All-American Invite on Saturday, Monroe finished seventh out of 12 teams. Seichter took 19th with a time of 16:41. Hlubek finished 36th (17:18) and Abby Rogerson was 44th (17:31).
Dale took 52nd (17:51) and Frutiger finished 53rd (17:52).
"Lizzy Dale and Abby Rogerson both had a solid day," Jefferson said. "The two freshman are starting to put together a nice season. If they continue on this path they could really help us when it counts. They have also really helped solidify our depth."
Two days after running in the All-American Invitational at Luther College, the Cheesemakers turned in one of their best performances with a fourth place finish Tuesday in the Badger Challenge at Twining Park.
The Cheesemakers were led by senior Tess Seichter who finished fifth in the junior-senior race with a time of 16 minutes, 53 seconds.
"I was hoping to get top 10," Seichter said. "I definitely made that."
Monroe senior Tessa Frutiger took 16th place (17:55) to help propel the Cheesemakers. Monroe had a combined time of 88:04, which was one minute away from third place Fort Atkinson and less than three minutes behind team champion Mount Horeb-Barneveld, the defending WIAA Division 2 state champions.
"A lot of racing in cross country comes down to guts and determination," Monroe girls cross country coach Brian Jefferson said. "I think we saw some of that tonight. We are by no means close to where we need to be, but if we keep working we will get there."
Frutiger's time was just three seconds shy of her season best at Luther College where she ran a 17:52.
"I was really nervous going into it because a couple of the girls I run with were in the freshman-sophomore race," Frutiger said.
"Our course is a lot harder than Luther. I was hoping I could run faster than Luther. For the team, I was hoping for top six."
Jefferson said that he was happy with Frutiger's performance.
"As a senior she is someone who needs to step up her racing," he said. "Today she did that. She ran her first mile more aggressive than she has in the past and it put her in a better position for the end of the race."
Monroe had three of the top five runners in the freshman-sophomore race. Sophomore Molly Hlubek finished eighth with a time of 17:24. Freshman Abby Rogerson took 11th (17:44) and fellow freshman Elizabeth Dale was 15th (18:08).
Seichter is proud to see her teammates persevere through the flu and dehydration so far this year.
"I think a lot of people on our varsity team have been pushing it to the limit," she said. "Not one of them has stepped back because of it. I admire them for that."
One of the runners who battled her way through the race was Abbey Schneider, who battled asthma, but she pushed through and finished the race.
"That was a great example for the other girls on the team to follow," Jefferson said. "She is a girl who will set that example of toughness that others really should follow. She is a tough runner."
At the All-American Invite on Saturday, Monroe finished seventh out of 12 teams. Seichter took 19th with a time of 16:41. Hlubek finished 36th (17:18) and Abby Rogerson was 44th (17:31).
Dale took 52nd (17:51) and Frutiger finished 53rd (17:52).
"Lizzy Dale and Abby Rogerson both had a solid day," Jefferson said. "The two freshman are starting to put together a nice season. If they continue on this path they could really help us when it counts. They have also really helped solidify our depth."
