By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
WISCONSIN RAPIDS – A West De Pere freshman, Kate Schmoll, had a strong showing at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 1 State Cross Country Championships Oct. 30 in Wisconsin Rapids.
Schmoll’s seventh-place time of 18:50 led the area girls’ finishes.
The meet was won overall by Middleton senior Lauren Pansegrau (17:44).
Ashwaubenon’s Lauren Carlton (43rd – 20:10), Green Bay Preble’s Elise Smith (56th – 20:22), De Pere’s Emma Coon (79th – 20:42) and Preble’s Emma Dornbush (88th – 20:55) also competed in the Division 1 meet among 186 participants.
For the boys in Division 1, West De Pere junior Noah Jahnke’s ninth-place finish of 16:02 led the area boys’ finishes.
The meet was won overall by Neenah senior Austin Henderson in 15:40.
According to West De Pere cross country coach Jay Johnson, Schmoll and Jahnke became the first Phantoms cross country runners to ever medal at state.
The Bay Port and Preble boys’ teams finished 12th and 19th, respectively, among 20 teams.
For Bay Port, Tony Adriansen (17th – 16:23), Connor Behrend (58th – 17:15), Jacob Schertz (97th – 17:34), Landon Heim (112th – 17:48), Steven North (164th – 18:25), Dylan Shulstad (165th – 18:28) and Grant Rocheleau (182nd – 18:55) also participated among 187 participants.
For Preble, Garrison Willems (53rd – 17:11), Aaron Paris (69th – 17:20), Adam Cotter (99th – 18:12), Ethan Raye (173rd – 18:35), Connor Shaw (178th – 18:41), Ian Hoppe (181st – 18:52) and Peyton Kuehn (184th – 18:59) also participated.
Pulaski’s TJ Shaw (77th – 17:23) also competed as an individual.
Division 2
Both the Notre Dame Academy boys’ and girls’ teams competed at state.
The boys finished second overall behind Shorewood, while the girls finished fifth.
For the boys, Connor Hawley (sixth – 16:32), Isaac Nowak (11th – 16:44), Joseph Stumpf (26th – 17:13), Braeden Tilot (41st – 17:27), Bryce Hawley (64th – 17:46), Jackson Fogarty (72nd – 17:59) and Beckett Chambers (90th – 18:16) participated among 151 participants.
Seymour’s Jason Skinkis also competed as an individual (62nd – 17:44).
For the girls, Lauren Conway (30th – 20:32), Anna Gruesen (33rd – 20:26), Camille Broullire (34th – 20:26), Mia Miller (82nd – 21:27), Kinsey Gallagher (102nd – 21:57), Mia Lemkuil (106th – 22:04) and Zita Lulloff (138th – 23:24) participated among 151 participants.