WISCONSIN RAPIDS - The Darlington boys cross country team won the WIAA Division 3 state championship Saturday for the first time in 25 years.
Darlington sophomore Tyson Miehe was the individual state champion with a time of 16 minutes, 2.14 seconds. It's Darlington's first state title since 1986, when Monroe cross country coach Dave Hirsbrunner was the Redbirds' No. 1 runner.
"There is no way to describe it," said Darlington coach Arnie Miehe whose sons Tyson and Kent Miehe run on the team. "When you are a coach, you have your two sons on the team, you win it and one is the individual champion, it's something you dream about. It's unbelievable."
The Redbirds had three of the top 14 runners at state to outdistance Grantsburg 46-74 for the title. In addition to Tyson Miehe, senior Destin Komprood finished 11th (16:50.49) and senior Michael Sinclair took 14th (16:54.61). Fellow senior Kent Miehe took 24th (17:24.14) and Brady McDaniel was 30th (17:33.62).
"It's incredible," Tyson said. "This is something you dream about. It's an opportunity only a few people have. It's a real honor to win the next state championship. I think of it as kind of a revival."
It's Darlington's third state cross country championship and the school's first state title since 1995 in football. The Redbirds were ranked No. 1 the last two years and ran to fifth place last year. Darlington also finished as the state runner-up four straight years starting in 1993.
"We have been here before and we didn't get it done," Arnie said. "Kent stood up in the bus and said they were not going to come away empty handed and they were going to win it. The adrenaline was going from one kid to the next."
Tyson said there was a slow pace to most of the first two miles.
"At the two mile mark, I took off," he said.
Albany junior Jose Ramirez finished 22nd (17:16.65) and senior Reece Whitehead was 26th (17:27.14). In his final cross country race, Pecatonica-Argyle senior Wyatt Massey finished 78th (18:19).
The Darlington girls cross country team took third at state as a team. Oshkosh Lourdes won the Division 3 state title 57-72 over Saint Mary's Springs and the Redbirds were third (118). It's the best finish the Redbird girls have had at the state meet.
Hartland University Lake senior Molly Seidel joined Suzy Favor Hamilton as the only girls to win four straight state championships. Seidel won the race with a time of 13:39.59.
"It's our best showing ever at the state meet," Arnie Miehe said of the boys state title and the girls third place finish. "It's quite an honor for both of them."
Darlington senior Christa Wamsley finished 15th (15:47.71) and senior Hannah Robiolio took 30th (16:11.49). Senior Amy Jorgenson took 54th (16:34.76) and junior Harley Douglas was 55th (16:34.79). Junior Cheyenne Wolfe finished 91st (17:14.59) to round out the top five for the Redbirds.
Two other area runners closed out banner seasons. Albany sophomore Bailey Hlavachek took 19th (15:54.59) and Pecatonica-Argyle senior Kendra Sigg finished 32nd (16:14.01).
"They ran a fantastic race," Arnie Miehe said. "When they got up in the thick of things at the start it was exciting. It got the boys rolling."
Wamsley ran a lifetime best in her final race and several other runners came seconds within their lifetime best times.
"To step on the course at the state meet and do that it's quite an honor," Arnie Miehe said.
Darlington sophomore Tyson Miehe was the individual state champion with a time of 16 minutes, 2.14 seconds. It's Darlington's first state title since 1986, when Monroe cross country coach Dave Hirsbrunner was the Redbirds' No. 1 runner.
"There is no way to describe it," said Darlington coach Arnie Miehe whose sons Tyson and Kent Miehe run on the team. "When you are a coach, you have your two sons on the team, you win it and one is the individual champion, it's something you dream about. It's unbelievable."
The Redbirds had three of the top 14 runners at state to outdistance Grantsburg 46-74 for the title. In addition to Tyson Miehe, senior Destin Komprood finished 11th (16:50.49) and senior Michael Sinclair took 14th (16:54.61). Fellow senior Kent Miehe took 24th (17:24.14) and Brady McDaniel was 30th (17:33.62).
"It's incredible," Tyson said. "This is something you dream about. It's an opportunity only a few people have. It's a real honor to win the next state championship. I think of it as kind of a revival."
It's Darlington's third state cross country championship and the school's first state title since 1995 in football. The Redbirds were ranked No. 1 the last two years and ran to fifth place last year. Darlington also finished as the state runner-up four straight years starting in 1993.
"We have been here before and we didn't get it done," Arnie said. "Kent stood up in the bus and said they were not going to come away empty handed and they were going to win it. The adrenaline was going from one kid to the next."
Tyson said there was a slow pace to most of the first two miles.
"At the two mile mark, I took off," he said.
Albany junior Jose Ramirez finished 22nd (17:16.65) and senior Reece Whitehead was 26th (17:27.14). In his final cross country race, Pecatonica-Argyle senior Wyatt Massey finished 78th (18:19).
The Darlington girls cross country team took third at state as a team. Oshkosh Lourdes won the Division 3 state title 57-72 over Saint Mary's Springs and the Redbirds were third (118). It's the best finish the Redbird girls have had at the state meet.
Hartland University Lake senior Molly Seidel joined Suzy Favor Hamilton as the only girls to win four straight state championships. Seidel won the race with a time of 13:39.59.
"It's our best showing ever at the state meet," Arnie Miehe said of the boys state title and the girls third place finish. "It's quite an honor for both of them."
Darlington senior Christa Wamsley finished 15th (15:47.71) and senior Hannah Robiolio took 30th (16:11.49). Senior Amy Jorgenson took 54th (16:34.76) and junior Harley Douglas was 55th (16:34.79). Junior Cheyenne Wolfe finished 91st (17:14.59) to round out the top five for the Redbirds.
Two other area runners closed out banner seasons. Albany sophomore Bailey Hlavachek took 19th (15:54.59) and Pecatonica-Argyle senior Kendra Sigg finished 32nd (16:14.01).
"They ran a fantastic race," Arnie Miehe said. "When they got up in the thick of things at the start it was exciting. It got the boys rolling."
Wamsley ran a lifetime best in her final race and several other runners came seconds within their lifetime best times.
"To step on the course at the state meet and do that it's quite an honor," Arnie Miehe said.
