Post Messenger Recorder -

As thunderstorms slowly moved out of the Verona area, the decision makers lost patience with the atmosphere and cancelled the meet. Thirty-four diesel engines powered-up and took their teams back to schools in Wisconsin and Illinois. By Monday morning a plan emerged to hold the meet on Tuesday afternoon. New Glarus-Monticello joined seven other teams in a mini-Wildcat Invitational on the Verona course.

Our Varsity girls team looked for another school that might be equal in ability. Verona (with an enrollment of 1,756, we might add) looked like a fair competitor. And, that they were.

Coming through the first mile we see our Lily Maynard (21:29) mixing it up with four of Verona's gals. Will those Wildcat ladies hold the pace or falter during the next two miles? The answer comes as the runners exit the woods and sprint to the finish line. Lily Maynard finishes ahead of the #1 Verona gal, Ruthie Zuber (21:56) in front of their #2, Molly Olson (22:04) ahead of #3 and Melanie Fink (22:07) just in front of #4. Immediately, Verona's #5 crosses the line. Verona's team scores 65 points (first five runner's places add up to the team score). Our Emma Martinson (22:38) rounds the last turn, heads toward the finish and runs down two Monroe gals. She's 23rd overall, giving us a score of 64 and we best big Verona by 1 wonderful point.

Final score: Madison West 21, NGM 64, Verona Area 65, Monroe 103, McFarland 161, Mauston 205.

The Varsity boys line-up as the underdogs today. The six other teams all rank higher than the Pony-Knights. From the start, NGM's Tom Nelson (17:22) runs with the lead pack. From mile one to the last hill he battles a Verona runner. Tom pulls away on the last hill then sprints to the finish to take the number five spot. Two Platteville guys finish, then Ian Schwartzlow (19:52) and Tanner Gardner (20:11). Three more P'villes cross to earn a score of 144. We need our #4 and #5 to finish pronto. Linden Lounsbury (21:46) is followed by another P'ville guy. A minute later Kaleb Welhouse (22:51), Jack Umhoefer (23:14) and Collin Blum (23:23) cross. Fifteen minutes pass before the scores are posted. Verona 29, Mauston 76, McFarland 86, Monroe 107, Oregon 126, NGM 142 and Platteville 144. We might be Underdogs, but we aren't Bottomdogs.

Saturday morning our cross country teams arrive in Spring Green for the biggest meet of the year. Thirty-seven schools compete in two divisions. New Glarus-Monticello enjoys being one of the smallest schools in the Large School division. The boys team finishes 15th out of 19 teams. Tom Nelson (16:55) breaks the 17-minute barrier and places 11th of 124 competitors. Ian Schwartzlow (19:03) and Tanner Gardner (19:09) produce fastest times of the season, as do Linden Lounsbury (20:25), Kaleb Welhouse (21:25), Jack Unhoefer (21:42) and Collin Blum (22:07).

Photo courtesy of Steve Wehrley

Sophie Stecha, Ella Skidmore and Alaina Smith lead a pack of JV runners for NGM.

The varsity gals are bested by Madison West, Dodgeville/Mineral Point and Waunakee to finish 4th of 17 large schools. We're delighted with our high placing and fastest times of the season. Lily Maynard (20:40), Ruthie Zuber (20:57), Melanie Fink (20:59) stay in the twenties; Molly Olson (21:38) and Annika Ziperski (21:52) the twenty-ones; Emma Martinson (22:06) and Lucy Melvin (22:22) in the twenty twos.

Leading off our JV girls, Camryn Arnett (22:20), Tenley Faber (23:47), Ruth Marty (24:07), Ella Salas (24:17) and Eve MacLean (25:03) take us to 4th of the 30rd teams at the Spring Green Invitational.

On this Saturday, with a 70% chance of rain, Mother Nature blessed us with cool, calm, overcast and dry conditions. Combine nearly perfect running weather with the smooth terrain of the Spring Green golf course and it resulted in running times which pleased athletes and coaches alike.