FENNIMORE - Both the Darlington High School boys and girls cross country teams won WIAA Division 3 sectional titles Saturday to advance to state.
The Darlington boys, the Division 3 state champions five straight years, captured the sectional championship with 32 points to outpace runner-up Wisconsin Heights-Barneveld (77). Albany finished a distant third (121).
The Darlington girls edged Albany for the sectional championship 62-67. Both the Redbirds and Comets advance to state as teams.
"It was a good day for us for sure," Darlington coach Arnie Miehe said. "It showed all of the hard work the kids have put in during the summer and fall. The girls made their mind they wanted to go to state. They dug in and got it done."
Darlington sophomore Payton Heinberg won the individual boys sectional title in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 16 minutes, 55.8 seconds. Senior teammate Conner Hackett finished third (17:18), and junior Tanner Evenstad was fifth (17:32.5).
"Those three guys draw strength from each other," Miehe said. "The guys ran a very smart race and stuck to our gameplan. It's an honor to be a part of this. To see them work and get going and do what they need to do shows some really nice things can happen."
Darlington sophomore Tucker Lange placed eighth (17:43.4), and junior Paul King was 15th (18:30.6).
The other individual state qualifiers are New Glarus-Monticello senior Kyle Fredrickson, who took fourth (17:27.1), and Albany sophomore Josh Dahl, who took 10th (17:51.6).
Albany senior Trevor Mueller finished 12th (18:09.4), senior Connor Trow placed 25th (18:54.9), senior Travis Oliver took 35th (19:12.5), and senior Jacob Elmer was 39th (19:24.9).
New Glarus-Monticello finished sixth in the 16-team sectional with 184 points. The Glarner Knights were led by Fredrickson and freshman Adam Nelson, who took 28th (19:04.2). Senior Christian Arnett finished 31st (19:09.7), senior Andrew Newberry was 59th (20:13), and senior Cade Beutler placed 62nd (20:22).
In the girls race, Belleville senior Noelle Marie was the individual sectional champion (19:26.2). Albany senior Ciara Kaderly finished second (20:03). The other individual state qualifier is New Glarus-Monticello sophomore Gabbie Sawyer, who took eighth (20:28.2).
Darlington senior Paige Schilling placed seventh (20:47.8) and sophomore Ilse Mendez took ninth followed by junior Reghan Komprood in 10th (21:29.4). Junior Erin Wolf finished 16th (21:53.8), and junior Emma Crist was 20th (22:07.3).
Albany junior Emma Guenther took fifth (20:34.5), freshman Kristin O'Bel placed 15th (21:50.4), sophomore Megan Anderson finished 18th (22:01.1) and freshman Haley Knauf placed 27th (22:46.2).
New Glarus-Monticello had two other runners in the top 50 after Sawyer. Junior Gabby Whisler took 35th (23:22.9), and freshman Molly Molencamp was 45th (23:54.8). Senior Kelly Fredrickson placed 58th (24:53.5), and junior Walela Three-Sticks took 66th (25:20.1).
Pecatonica-Argyle finished last out of 14 teams (383). The Vikings were led by sophomore Stephanie James, who placed 57th (24:52.7), and senior Josie Penniston, who finished 62nd (24:58.3). Senior Jessica Erickson placed 85th (27:39.5), senior Adriana Johnson was 86th (27:45.8), and sophomore Abby Loomis placed 93rd (29:49.2).
The Darlington boys, the Division 3 state champions five straight years, captured the sectional championship with 32 points to outpace runner-up Wisconsin Heights-Barneveld (77). Albany finished a distant third (121).
The Darlington girls edged Albany for the sectional championship 62-67. Both the Redbirds and Comets advance to state as teams.
"It was a good day for us for sure," Darlington coach Arnie Miehe said. "It showed all of the hard work the kids have put in during the summer and fall. The girls made their mind they wanted to go to state. They dug in and got it done."
Darlington sophomore Payton Heinberg won the individual boys sectional title in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 16 minutes, 55.8 seconds. Senior teammate Conner Hackett finished third (17:18), and junior Tanner Evenstad was fifth (17:32.5).
"Those three guys draw strength from each other," Miehe said. "The guys ran a very smart race and stuck to our gameplan. It's an honor to be a part of this. To see them work and get going and do what they need to do shows some really nice things can happen."
Darlington sophomore Tucker Lange placed eighth (17:43.4), and junior Paul King was 15th (18:30.6).
The other individual state qualifiers are New Glarus-Monticello senior Kyle Fredrickson, who took fourth (17:27.1), and Albany sophomore Josh Dahl, who took 10th (17:51.6).
Albany senior Trevor Mueller finished 12th (18:09.4), senior Connor Trow placed 25th (18:54.9), senior Travis Oliver took 35th (19:12.5), and senior Jacob Elmer was 39th (19:24.9).
New Glarus-Monticello finished sixth in the 16-team sectional with 184 points. The Glarner Knights were led by Fredrickson and freshman Adam Nelson, who took 28th (19:04.2). Senior Christian Arnett finished 31st (19:09.7), senior Andrew Newberry was 59th (20:13), and senior Cade Beutler placed 62nd (20:22).
In the girls race, Belleville senior Noelle Marie was the individual sectional champion (19:26.2). Albany senior Ciara Kaderly finished second (20:03). The other individual state qualifier is New Glarus-Monticello sophomore Gabbie Sawyer, who took eighth (20:28.2).
Darlington senior Paige Schilling placed seventh (20:47.8) and sophomore Ilse Mendez took ninth followed by junior Reghan Komprood in 10th (21:29.4). Junior Erin Wolf finished 16th (21:53.8), and junior Emma Crist was 20th (22:07.3).
Albany junior Emma Guenther took fifth (20:34.5), freshman Kristin O'Bel placed 15th (21:50.4), sophomore Megan Anderson finished 18th (22:01.1) and freshman Haley Knauf placed 27th (22:46.2).
New Glarus-Monticello had two other runners in the top 50 after Sawyer. Junior Gabby Whisler took 35th (23:22.9), and freshman Molly Molencamp was 45th (23:54.8). Senior Kelly Fredrickson placed 58th (24:53.5), and junior Walela Three-Sticks took 66th (25:20.1).
Pecatonica-Argyle finished last out of 14 teams (383). The Vikings were led by sophomore Stephanie James, who placed 57th (24:52.7), and senior Josie Penniston, who finished 62nd (24:58.3). Senior Jessica Erickson placed 85th (27:39.5), senior Adriana Johnson was 86th (27:45.8), and sophomore Abby Loomis placed 93rd (29:49.2).
