Post Messenger Recorder -

Mother Nature often reminds us that she is in charge. Her heat and humidity forced the Monroe authorities to shorten the first cross country race of the season at Twining Park. The New Glarus-Monticello boys finished third in this competitive race, with junior Adam Nelson leading the team and placing fifth overall. For the girls, freshman Dayna Karls finished first on the team with a respectable 17 minutes flat on the short course. Despite her effort, the Belleville girls finished 9 points ahead of our NGM ladies.

Saturday's weather projection included scattered thunderstorms all morning. With twenty-three teams warming-up on the course, the officials decided to take a chance and run as many races as possible. As middle schooler Tom Nelson won the boys race and Lily Menard placed first in her MS race, we figured the rain might hold off. And so it did, but the saturated ground didn't. Our varsity boys, Adam Nelson, Rudy Wicker, Conor McCoy, Joe Quaglia and Garrett Grossen, finished in the 18's or 19's and finished sixth of the eight teams in our division. After the 160 varsity boys chewed up the course, it was never the same.

Dayna Karls, Molly Molencamp and Annie Fuller picked their way around the muddy turns and kept their times under twenty-five minutes. Things got slipperier with each runner, and times slower. Although Ty Ready ran a fast junior varsity race, and earned a spot on varsity for next week, he couldn't break twenty minutes as he skidded wide around each turn. JV runner, Eric Zielinski, relied on his Slip-N-Slide training as he accelerated down a hill, discovered a tight, slimy right hand turn, locked his feet but just kept going. He enjoyed the ride until his spikes hit firm sod. He reaccelerated and got back on course only to repeat the thrill at the next turn.

The junior varsity girls took off on the last race of the day. Sam Burgess and Brooke Dreyfus took off looking clean and finished covered with interesting and artistic grey-brown streaks covering legs, arms and body.

As we dripped our wet, dirty bodies back onto the team bus we, along with the rest of southwestern Wisconsin, hoped for a few dry days that include next weekend. If Mother Nature allows, we'll be racing on the fast municipal golf course in Spring Green. As part of the glacial outwash there is no humus in the soil so it doesn't get muddy in the rain. Probably, it will turn into quicksand.

Nice Weather, Nice Times

For one full year, middle schooler Tommy Nelson has been preparing for this race. Running in the winter, running in the summer, running with the varsity whenever possible. Now he's chasing Charlie from Dodgeville/Mineral Point and 181 young boys are chasing him. Tommy comes through the mile in 5:43, which is as fast as he can run a mile, and he's six seconds behind. A half-mile remains, neither boy slows. Last turn and the finish line appears 400 meters away. There's no sprint left in their legs, but they try. Spectators yell, wave arms, jump up and down, it's impossible not to get caught-up in this race. Charlie stops the clock at 8:55, Tommy at 9:01. They are shot. They are elated. It takes seven more minutes for all the youngsters to finish. It'll take seven days before Tommy stops smiling.

Earlier in the day, Tommy's older brother lined up in the small school varsity race. Adam Nelson (17:38) trains year round and now, as a junior, he's come into his own. The lead pack appears at the top of the first hill and Adam is in the mix. They're through the first mile before the clock says 5:30. Now the "real" race starts. Who can hold the pace, who'll drop back? Mile two; the pack deteriorates into a line of individuals each separated by a few seconds. Adam holds fourth place with half-mile to go. His pace never falters and before we get to the finish line he's across and already breathing normally.

Freshman Evan Guenther (18:11), sophomores Rudy Wicker (18:15), Joe Quaglia (18:24) and Conor McCoy (18:37) chase their junior teammate and they all finish within one minute of Adam. Ty Ready (19:11) and Garrett Grossen (19:12) hold down the last two places on the team.

In a race with twenty teams, it takes a full minute to announce the results from last to first.

"Second place New Glarus-Monticello. Please come up for your runner-up trophy."

This might be the start of a fun cross country season.

The boys junior varsity includes guys from forty schools. Try lining up 284 boys and find a place on the starting line for your team of 14 NGM'ers! Kellan Zweifel (19:42) and Dane Duerst (20:09), Simon Blohowiak (20:15), Beckett Malaise (20:26), Logan Blum (20:30) and Griffin Ness (20:44) find a way through the crowd to run under twenty-one minutes. Braylon Hoesly (21:08), Lucas Fink (21:44), Desi Delforge (21:44), Tristin Flanagan (22:16), Ryan Austin (22:41), Aiden Runkle (22:52), Eric Zielinski (24:42), Bryce Stampfli (23:55), Triston Koch (25:48) and Will Carnes (27:10) round out the JV boys. The JV'ers finish fifth overall, and second in the small school division.

Freshman Dyna Karls (22:53) leads the New Glarus-Monticello varsity girls team. A minute later Molly Molencamp (23:51) and Annie Fuller (23:53) hold down the next two places for the gals. Libbie Melvin (26:27), Alexa Thayer (26:41) and Emily Streiff (26:41) finish close to each other. Dylan Noll (28:31) produces her fastest time of the season. When a team is spread out, it becomes difficult to estimate final team placing so we're a bit surprised, and pleased, to find the ladies 9th of the 20 teams invited.

On JV, Sam Burgess (29:58) breaks the thirty minute barrier and Brooke Dreyfus (31:00) almost does so with an exciting sprint.

Last race of the day is the girls middle school. Seventh grader Lily Menard (10:21) places 10th overall, with Tenley Faber (10:55) and Whitney Disch (11:22) in the top 50 of 219 MS'ers. The girls smile with success, and in harmony with their good mood the clouds clear and the sun does the same. Great way to end an exciting day.