The Becker Bulldogs Girls Cross Country team ran well among good competition at the Buffalo Invitational on Thursday, as a team placing 3rd out of seven teams.

Minnetonka, who is ranked 5th in state, ran away with the competition with a score of 19, followed by the always competitive Monticello with 82 points. Becker came away with 90 points, Buffalo 90, Jordan 98, Cambridge-Isanti 138 and Rockford 183.

“We got off to a good start and pushed the pace well through the hilly course,” said Coach Patricia Kealy.

Running with the leaders and challenging themselves, Senior Captain Lexi Dehmer came in 6th with a time of 19:48.7, with Dani Nuest not far behind in 10th place with a time of 20:27.8.

Improving her racing time each time she’s competed, Alexis Rose was the Bulldogs’ 3rd runner, placing 18th with a time of 21:01.9. Rounding out the team’s top runners, eighth-graders Alexa Voller and Natasha Berthiaume placed 28th (21:49.1) and 30th (21:54.1), seventh-grader Ella McDonald ran a personal record time with 22:09.6, placing 35th, and eighth-grader Nora Pilarski came in 39th (22:36.3). 

“The girls are each learning to race harder with every race and I’m very impressed with their drive to improve,” said Kealy.

As a team the JV girls placed 3rd. Morgan Vee lead the team with a personal record of 21:55.6 for a 9th place win. A strong run by Abby Nelson place her 19th with a time of 22:45.1, and Bella Duncombe made a good comeback, placing 31st with a time of 23:12.1.

Rounding out the team’s top runners were Jaden Kraus, 37th (23:34.6), Kayla Gruenes, 41st (23:38.5), Hannah Dierkes, 46th (23.49.1), and Regan Hausman, 55th (24.20.9).

Leading the Bulldogs junior high team’s fifth place win were Natalie Trenz, 33rd, Alea Briggs, 34th, Olivia Babler, 37th, Anna Kuklok, 73rd, Elimia Hansen, 75th, Anikah Hall, 87th and MacKenna Smith.

Next up is the cross country team’s only home meet of the season on Tuesday.