Post Messenger Recorder -

A multitude (does 988 make up a multitude?) of the best cross country athletes jog and stroll the 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) at the WIAA State Cross Country Meet in Wisconsin Rapids on a mild, overcast, fall morning.  The sandy course remains soft and forgiving after recent rains.  Should be a good day for a race.

Twelve noon, the gun fires, and 152 boys from Division-3 schools pound down the straightaway.  At 400 meters the course veers to the right and many sprint to clear the turn before the mass of runners clogs-up the path.  Others drift to the outside to be free of interference.  Our Kyle Fredrickson locks into his race pace early and allows most of the excited and accelerating guys to run ahead and waste energy elbowing each other in the narrowing space.  Kyle registers 86th with a first mile split of 5 minutes and 31 seconds.  Eleven minutes into the race and Kyle's position is 39th with a 5 minute 39 second split.  The second half of the course includes three hills that affect those who fail to pace themselves and its clear that Kyle's taking advantage of them as he passes several on the last rise before the boys see the finish line.  Total time 17:17 and our New Glarus-Monticello senior places 21st overall.  From back-of-pack to front-of-pack, does this fulfill Matthew's quote?  Or, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race..." 2 Timothy 4:7.

Gabbie Sawyer, from NGM CC, competed at State on Saturday at Wisconsin Rapids. Gabby was 15th.

Sophomore Gabbie Sawyer drifts to the left of the 152 competitors and avoids any first turn congestion.  She's moved-up to 26th place by mile one and registers 6:12.  Passing three runners in the next mile puts her in 23rd with a slightly slower pace of 6:49 per mile.  A half-mile to go and Gabbie demonstrates a stamina that only year-round training produces as she accelerates up the last two inclines, passes a few more gals, crosses the line in 15th with a time of 20:22 and finishes in the top ten percent of the best Division-3 cross country ladies.  "and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us," Hebrews 12:1.

As the fall sports season comes to a close we applaud the accomplishments in Football, Girls Volleyball, Boys Soccer and Girls Swimming, along with our Cross Country Team's representatives, Kyle Fredrickson and Gabbie Sawyer.  You've all made us proud.