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White Hawks runners leads a pack

White Hawks Run in Cross Country Section Preview

By Alicia Sunnarborg, 10/10/22, 9:15AM CDT

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The Mound Westonka cross country team traveled to Litchfield October 6 for a preview of the upcoming section meet.

Charlie Paul running

MWHS junior Charlie Paul finished in 17:57 at Litchfield.

Payton Stover, Brooke Garlock and Cassie Nemecek running

Payton Stover, Brooke Garlock and Cassie Nemecek helped the girls to third place at Litchfield.

Andrew Finley running

Sophomore Andrew Finley ran a season's best 18:30 at Litchfield.

The Mound Westonka cross country team traveled to Litchfield on October 6 for a preview of the upcoming section meet. Twenty teams competed at the Litchfield Golf Club on a day ripe for fast times. Temperatures hovered around 50, as the runners prepared to attack the flat course.

The White Hawks boys varsity team took advantage of the excellent conditions, with almost every runner clocking his best time of the season. Senior Jacob Trost ran the 5k in 17:36, and junior Charlie Paul finished in 17:57. The next four ran closely together again, with junior Brandon Knock finishing in 18:17, senior Ethan Garlock at 18:37, and sophomores Andrew Finley and Isaac Hays crossing the line together at 18:30. The team finished in ninth place, with Delano winning the meet.

The girls varsity had many season bests too, including senior Laura Sunnarborg, who crossed the 20-minute mark for the first time this year. Sunnarborg placed 10th with a time of 19:55. Ninth-grader Emma Andrev came in next at 20:32 to earn 12th place. Eighth-grader Sophia Engesser ran her personal best 5k, clocking in at 21:00. Sophomore Mari Engesser came in next for the White Hawks at 21:29, and the last team score came from ninth-grader Payton Stover at 21:37. Sophomore Brooke Garlock was close behind her at 21:42, and junior Cassie Nemecek finished in 22:54.

Annandale took the team title for the girls with a score of 87, and Benilde-St. Margaret's came in second at 99. The White Hawks placed third with a 105 and will be eager for a rematch at this course on October 27.

The boys junior varsity team earned fifth at Litchfield, led again by freshman Luke Sunnarborg. Sunnarborg placed 17th with a time of 19:15. Sophomore Miles Lund also cracked the top 20, placing 19th in 19:22. Freshmen Gavin Thelen and Noah Huesman came in next for the White Hawks at 19:45 and 20.10, respectively. Eighth-grader August Lang finished at the same time as junior Christian Jordan at 21:10.

Ninth-grader Bette Mae Grogan’s ninth-place finish in 22:12 helped the girls junior varsity to sixth place. She was followed by eighth-grader Anna Regenold in 13th at 22:35 and sophomore Claire Rashleger at 22:52. Seventh-graders Vayla Jerome and Elisa Hays contributed to the final team score in 24:05 and 24:14, with eighth-grader Ella McClellan right behind them at 24:19.  

The White Hawks middle school boys took second place, led by eighth-grader Owen Trost, who earned second with a 2.5k time of 8:45. The girls middle school team placed fourth, with sixth-grader Genevieve Fosier leading the way at 10:59.

Next up is Mound Westonka’s last regular season meet on October 13 in Watertown.