The Owatonna High School Girls and Boys Cross Country had sections on Thursday, October 26, resulting in Boys Cross Country runners Jack Sorenson and Leyton Williams qualifying for individuals at state. However, as a whole, the girls cross country team qualified as well. Girls cross country has seven runners representing Owatonna at the state meet. This will be the first time in 21 years that this has happened for the girl’s cross-country team. Head Coach Dan Leer is thrilled to be going another week as a team and loved seeing all the work and training they started in June pay off. Coach Leer said, “We ran a great second half of the race at Sections. Our three,four,five runners really battled in a big pack of girls and really made the difference for us. The margin of victory was so little–the girls really came through.”
As the girls prepare for state, senior captain Carsyn Brady is also thrilled to be going to state as a team. Brady has made it individually four other times. Brady said, “Having my team there with me will make it so much better. In cross country, the girls are what makes the sport fun.” Leading up to state, the girls are starting to taper and cut back their workload to run their best races at the state meet.
Anna Cox, senior captain, and Brady for the girls’ cross country team are going into the state meet prepared and ready to accomplish goals and end her last high school cross country meet strong. The section race for Cox was more about the right headspace. Cox said, “For me, it was more of a mental race; I had done everything I could training-wise up until that point to prepare, so just making sure I was in the right headspace.”
Similar to Brady, Cox is excited to be going to state as a team; since this is the girls’ first time going to state as a team, Cox said, “It’s great to finally break that drought and be a part of it” The girls hope to run their best races and be satisfied with how they do to finish out the season. Even if they do not place, Brady said, “It is just an amazing experience to take part in, especially with my best friends.”
Runners on Owatonna’s varsity program include: Carsyn Brady, Leah Leckner, Clara Sennott, Kendra Melby, Clara Meier, Anna Cox and Paige Thompson.
Sorenson and Williams to state
The Owatonna Boys Cross Country team knew that coming into the season, it would be about growth. Boys cross country Head Coach Luke Holt said, “Coming into the season, we knew we were a young and rather inexperienced team.” However, having a younger team did not stop them from working hard this season to achieve their desired goals. The team progressed well in the aspect of races and working towards better times individually, but also in pushing and supporting each other as a team to get better and faster continuously throughout the season.
Leading up to sections, the boy’s cross country team started to taper and had team dinner and fun practices. Holt said,” It was fun to see them gaining energy and peaking mentally and physically so they could race their fastest.” Heading into state, both runners hope to beat and break their times. Junior Jack Sorenson is excited to be going to state; he hit both of his goals for the season: qualifying for state and running a sub-16 in the 5k. Sorenson hopes to run well at state and place in the top 25. Sorenson said, “I am very excited for the race, a little nervous, but it is just another race.
Sorenson’s teammate, Leyton Williams, who is a senior captain, also is preparing for the state meet. Williams ran a good section race, considering the rough conditions that day. Williams is looking forward to the state meet. Williams said, “I am going for the experience and a great way to end senior year.” Williams hopes to run and finish in the Top 3rd of the race for the state meet.
There will be a state send-off on Thursday, November 2, in the cafeteria at 2:55. Boys and girls cross country teams will run at the state meet on Saturday, November 4. They will be running at the University of Minnesota. Boys start at 10 a.m., and Girls will start at 10:45 a.m.
