The Becker Bulldog boys and girls cross country teams competed at the Princeton Invitational CC meet Thursday afternoon despite the hot and humid weather.

Both boys and girls varsity teams placed second. 

 

The boys finished the meet just 12 points out of first place. 

 

Senior Caleb Foster is already looking in mid-season form and finished fifth overall with a time of 19:01.39.  Becker’s second-best runner was Jonathan Novak, placing ninth (19:44.60). Olsen Pancoast captured 12th (20:00.17), Luke Pappenfus took 14th (20:07.08), Keith Sorensen 18th (20:34.48), Sam Somrock 33rd (221:28.66), Basil Ricker 37th (21:37.90), Lachlan Lahr 44th (22:21.33) and Brett Parson 63rd (25:54.09).

 

“We were really impressed with the teamwork these boys showed in this first meet of the season,” said Head Coach Trish Reimer-Kealy. “Strong finishes all around.”

Team Scores: 1). Spectrum 46; 2). Becker 58; 3). St Cloud Christian 74; 4). Heritage Christian 85; 5). Zimmerman 132;  6). United North Central 134;  7). Braham 140.

 

The Becker girls lost first place due to a tie breaker.  United North Central and  Becker each had 36 points and to break a tie, the judges take the sixth runner’s time and UNC’s runner beat Becker’s.

 

“But we were really excited at how well everyone did,” said Reimer-Kealy.  

 

Running a very smooth race, Alli Hendrickson led the race from start to finish, winning by over a minute. Her time was 20:42.03.  

 

Becker also took second and third places when  eighth- grader Lexi Dehmer ran 21:47.57 and seventh-grader Julia Bengston — in her first CC race — ran 21:53.31.

“These two girls work very well together, taking turns leading each other,” said the head coach.

 

Becker’s fourth runner was Victoria Kolbinger in her first varsity race and she placed 11th in 24:32.80.  Alli Garding was 25th with a time of 25:15.23, Siera Knick (in her first race in two years because she was unable to run due to an injury) ran 26:12.32, Tate Spinner 26:47.33 and Jada Rositas 27:18.71.

 

“The girls really pushed well even though  the heat caused some problems for a few of them,” said Becker’s coach. “This was the first time for these girls to run the new 5K distance which was put in place this year.”

 

The JV races were 3K this meet and Becker’s Brendan Potter placed seventh. Erik Parson took 14th and Logan Lahr 16th.

 

Becker was unable to run a full boys JV team.

 

The girls JV won their race, led by Allyna Storms, who took third.  Kayden Westin finished fourth, Callie Doucette fifth, Gabby Imm sixth, Cayla Pauman eighth and Cahlah Chonsky 10th. Shannon Sydow coasted in at 12th, Bryanna Edling 18th, Jessica Sand 20th, Laura Pancoast 22nd, Ellie Schwartz 24th, Renee Tripp 25th, Alyssa Thielen 26th and Karly Kowalsky 29th.

 

Becker’s Junior High boys and girls teams won their team races.

 

Bennett Edling ran away with the race, placing first, Aaron Gregory placed third, Blake Soenneker fourth, David Myers fifth, Wyatt Hiltner seventh, Jack Budd 12th and Jimmy Hines 13th.

 

The girls were led by Maddie McDonald in fifth, Trinity Olsen-bur 11th, Jaden Kraus 13th, Abby Nelson 14th, Olivia Mateyka 17th, Grace Wilhelm 19th, Allison Loken 20th, Faith Potter 24th and Anna Pancoast 28th.

 

“All the runners put forth great effort today and are off to a good start to our season,” said Reimer-Kealy.  

 

Becker’s next meet is a large invitational at Monticello Thursday, with lots of top tier teams competing.