Post Messenger Recorder -

It seems we just woke up to a bright red sunrise and its already 9:59 a.m.  The starter holds a pistol above his head, 140 runners from 20 teams stand motionless on the long white line.  A bang and a puff of smoke sets off the stampede at the Fennimore Cross Country Sectional. 

Dozens of guys sprint each other to the open gates that lead onto to the main course.  Spectators scurry to the top of the hill in time to see the last boy disappear over the top.  A couple Darlington Redbirds break into view, a stream of athletes follow.  With only two of the twenty teams and the five top individuals qualifying for next week's WIAA State Meet, the race is intense.  Parents, coaches and friends count positions and estimate scores.

Focusing on our top runner, Kyle Fredrickson (17:27), we tally him at 15th.  That's seems far back with only two miles remaining.  By the time we again spot the leaders he's 13th then 11th and...out of sight.  The last half-mile includes a severe 100-meter hill and a LONG sprint to the finish.  Kyle's in fifth and closing down on the Darlington guy ahead then passes the timing camera in fourth.  Senior Kyle Fredrickson will represent New Glarus-Monticello at Wisconsin Heights next Saturday!

Kyle's comment: "I didn't want to take it out too fast during the first mile.  I wanted to save energy for the second and third when it REALLY counts.  I felt pretty good with my position at the end." 

Darlington and Wisconsin Heights-Barneveld take eighteen minutes and forty-five seconds to bring home their top five runners and win the top two spots for state.

The NGM boys place 6th as freshmen Adam Nelson (19:05) leads seniors Christian Arnett (19:10), Andrew Newberry (20:13) and Cade Beutler (20:22) across the line.  Freshman Garrett Grossen (20:42) and senior Colin McNulty (21:26) hold the last two team spots.

The girls start and Lancaster gals surge to the front.  Unlikely their aggressive strategy will last for three more miles, but they look impressive at this moment.  Four hundred meters later they're falling back and Belleville's Noelle Maire (19:27) takes the lead, permanently!  Our Gabbie Sawyer (20:29) finds herself surrounded by many as she navigates the first turns and the long downhill.  Gabbie scoots past the first mile under six minutes and passes two others at the same moment.  During every race this fall, Gabbie looks stronger in her second and third miles and today is no exception.  We see she's left much of the main pack behind by mile two, then locks into fifth with just a half-mile and the big hill remaining.  She's on high ground in fourth and still accelerating across the finish line.  Gabbie Sawyer will join Kyle at the State Meet!

Gabbie's quote: "I thought the race went really well even though I was really nervous. Honestly, I hate that course, but I think I do better on hilly courses than other girls since we do a lot of hill work during practices."

Gabby Whistler (23:22) is closely followed by Molly Molencamp (23:55), Kelly Fredrickson (24:54) and Walela Three-Sticks (25:21), who space themselves out to count as the five scoring runners.  Jenna Molencamp (27:33) and Brooke Dreyfus (33:38) provide back-up for the girls team which finishes 9th to Belleville's 10th place.

Darlington girls join their male teammates with a first place finish.  Albany gals find themselves only 5 points behind and head to state with dreams of an upset in their heads.

Unlike other sports, state champions are chosen in one contest on one day.  This Saturday, at The Ridges Country Club in Wisconsin Rapids, the WIAA State Cross Country Meet starts with Gabbie Sawyer and Noelle Maire taking off at 12 noon.  By 3:30 p.m., the last runner in the last of the six B & G races crosses the line and celebrations start. 

Join us and the other 5,000 spectators at Wisconsin Rapids this Saturday!