WISCONSIN RAPIDS - Both the Darlington boys and girls cross country teams showed they are golden, running to WIAA Division 3 state championships on Saturday.
Darlington senior Paige Schilling was excited to win the school's first girls state championship in any sport and end Lourdes Academy's three-year run as state champions.
"We just went for it," Schilling said. "We ran out of our minds and got it. It was a sweet ending to my senior year. I couldn't have asked for a better ending. It feels amazing. We worked so hard for this moment and finally made it."
The Redbird boys won their sixth straight state title 68-85 over La Crosse Aquinas at the Ridges Golf Course. The girls team clipped three-time state champion Lourdes Academy 89-93 for the state title.
"I don't know if it can get better than that," said Darlington cross country Arnie Miehe who just finished his 35th year coaching cross country. "It's an impressive feeling of pride and satisfaction."
The Darlington boys cross country team, which was ranked No. 1 in the Division 3 Wisconsin State Cross Country Coaches Association state poll most of the season, had three runners finish in the top 12 in the team results. Darlington sophomore Payton Heinberg finished third overall out of 151 runners in the field and was second in the team results with a time of 16 minutes, 33.65 seconds. Senior teammate Conner Hackett took eighth in the team results (17:09.44) and junior Tanner Evenstad placed 12th (17:15.91). Sophomore Tucker Lange finished 22nd (17:43.49) and Paul King placed 24th (17:46.35).
"To be able to run and not lose their focus is great," Miehe said. "They ran to win and not to lose. For some teams after they have been there they tend to look over their shoulder. We were behind for a while, but they kept coming and coming in the last mile."
Heinberg was the Redbirds' top runner and he helped set the tone by helping push his teammates early in the race.
"He went out running with the other guys and he could have gone out faster," Miehe said of Heinberg. "He ran a team race. As a sophomore to have that kind of composure and to be patient is impressive. To end up third is probably as good as he could have done."
Both Hackett, who had a leg injury last year, and Evenstad ran faster than their times at state last season. Hackett improved by two minutes and Evenstad had a 45-second improvement compared to last year's state meet.
"He (Hackett) was our seventh runner last year," Miehe said. "For him to run like that and step up was impressive. Even though our start wasn't ideal, our top five boys ran faster as a team this year than they did last year when we had all of those seniors."
New Glarus-Monticello senior Kyle Fredrickson finished 21st with a time of 17;16.02 and Albany sophomore Josh Dahl took 39th (17:38.06).
In the girls' Division 3 race, Belleville senior Noelle Marie was the individual state champion with a time of 19:12.79. Albany senior Ciara Kaderly finished sixth (19:41.71) and New Glarus-Monticello sophomore Gabbie Sawyer placed eighth (20:21.78).
Schilling finished 17th out of 152 runners and seventh in the team results with a time of 20:27.17 to lead the Redbirds. Junior teammate Reghan Komprood took ninth (20:28.33) and sophomore Ilse Mendez was 11th (20:40.59 in the team results. The Redbirds had three runners finish ahead of Albany junior Emma Guenther, the Comets' second runner who took 20th (20:55.05). Albany finished fifth as a team (184).
"Those three (Schilling, Komprood and Mendez) just fed off each other," Miehe said. "Those three went out together and pulled each other along."
Albany coach Tony Brewer said some of the Comets' top runners struggled at state.
"We were disappointed being fifth at state," Brewer said. "That just kind of tells you the expectations we have for this program. We didn't run a great race. The effort was there. It just wasn't our day. Even though we were about 100 points out of second and another 100 points out of first, I still think we had a shot at finishing in the top two."
Darlington junior Erin Wolf finished 24th (21:16.22) and junior Emma Crist was 38th (21:44.86).
Miehe said the Redbirds trailed by 30 points with one mile to go in the race.
For them to make that up down the finish line and passing each spot at a time is why we are not looking at someone else as the state champion. This time it slipped in our favor."
Albany freshman Kristin O'Bel placed 48th (21:56.37) and sophomore Megan Anderson was 55th (22:13.64). Freshman teammate Haley Knauf placed 58th (22:23.66).
Miehe credited Schilling for coming back from some nagging injuries the past two years to lead the Redbirds.
"She was our No. 1 runner as a freshman and she had injuries and now as a senior she's our No. 1 runner again," Miehe said. "She has given us the spark that we needed. Those kids have followed her lead. You can't have written a better scenario."
Darlington senior Paige Schilling was excited to win the school's first girls state championship in any sport and end Lourdes Academy's three-year run as state champions.
"We just went for it," Schilling said. "We ran out of our minds and got it. It was a sweet ending to my senior year. I couldn't have asked for a better ending. It feels amazing. We worked so hard for this moment and finally made it."
The Redbird boys won their sixth straight state title 68-85 over La Crosse Aquinas at the Ridges Golf Course. The girls team clipped three-time state champion Lourdes Academy 89-93 for the state title.
"I don't know if it can get better than that," said Darlington cross country Arnie Miehe who just finished his 35th year coaching cross country. "It's an impressive feeling of pride and satisfaction."
The Darlington boys cross country team, which was ranked No. 1 in the Division 3 Wisconsin State Cross Country Coaches Association state poll most of the season, had three runners finish in the top 12 in the team results. Darlington sophomore Payton Heinberg finished third overall out of 151 runners in the field and was second in the team results with a time of 16 minutes, 33.65 seconds. Senior teammate Conner Hackett took eighth in the team results (17:09.44) and junior Tanner Evenstad placed 12th (17:15.91). Sophomore Tucker Lange finished 22nd (17:43.49) and Paul King placed 24th (17:46.35).
"To be able to run and not lose their focus is great," Miehe said. "They ran to win and not to lose. For some teams after they have been there they tend to look over their shoulder. We were behind for a while, but they kept coming and coming in the last mile."
Heinberg was the Redbirds' top runner and he helped set the tone by helping push his teammates early in the race.
"He went out running with the other guys and he could have gone out faster," Miehe said of Heinberg. "He ran a team race. As a sophomore to have that kind of composure and to be patient is impressive. To end up third is probably as good as he could have done."
Both Hackett, who had a leg injury last year, and Evenstad ran faster than their times at state last season. Hackett improved by two minutes and Evenstad had a 45-second improvement compared to last year's state meet.
"He (Hackett) was our seventh runner last year," Miehe said. "For him to run like that and step up was impressive. Even though our start wasn't ideal, our top five boys ran faster as a team this year than they did last year when we had all of those seniors."
New Glarus-Monticello senior Kyle Fredrickson finished 21st with a time of 17;16.02 and Albany sophomore Josh Dahl took 39th (17:38.06).
In the girls' Division 3 race, Belleville senior Noelle Marie was the individual state champion with a time of 19:12.79. Albany senior Ciara Kaderly finished sixth (19:41.71) and New Glarus-Monticello sophomore Gabbie Sawyer placed eighth (20:21.78).
Schilling finished 17th out of 152 runners and seventh in the team results with a time of 20:27.17 to lead the Redbirds. Junior teammate Reghan Komprood took ninth (20:28.33) and sophomore Ilse Mendez was 11th (20:40.59 in the team results. The Redbirds had three runners finish ahead of Albany junior Emma Guenther, the Comets' second runner who took 20th (20:55.05). Albany finished fifth as a team (184).
"Those three (Schilling, Komprood and Mendez) just fed off each other," Miehe said. "Those three went out together and pulled each other along."
Albany coach Tony Brewer said some of the Comets' top runners struggled at state.
"We were disappointed being fifth at state," Brewer said. "That just kind of tells you the expectations we have for this program. We didn't run a great race. The effort was there. It just wasn't our day. Even though we were about 100 points out of second and another 100 points out of first, I still think we had a shot at finishing in the top two."
Darlington junior Erin Wolf finished 24th (21:16.22) and junior Emma Crist was 38th (21:44.86).
Miehe said the Redbirds trailed by 30 points with one mile to go in the race.
For them to make that up down the finish line and passing each spot at a time is why we are not looking at someone else as the state champion. This time it slipped in our favor."
Albany freshman Kristin O'Bel placed 48th (21:56.37) and sophomore Megan Anderson was 55th (22:13.64). Freshman teammate Haley Knauf placed 58th (22:23.66).
Miehe credited Schilling for coming back from some nagging injuries the past two years to lead the Redbirds.
"She was our No. 1 runner as a freshman and she had injuries and now as a senior she's our No. 1 runner again," Miehe said. "She has given us the spark that we needed. Those kids have followed her lead. You can't have written a better scenario."
