WEBSTER – The Bulldogs were running ahead of the pack Thursday afternoon in Webster.

Milbank Area runners won both individual races as well as the team championships during the Northeast Conference Cross Country Meet.

Payton Brown won the boys’ race as Milbank claimed the top three spots. Teammates Isaac Graham and Bryan Meyer finished second and third, respectively.

Ashlynn Batchelor won the girls’ race. The Bulldogs’ Ella Koplin and Bianca Berry finished sixth and seventh, respectively in that event. Clark-Willow Lake’s Kamryn Nesheim was runner-up, and Jaycee Hourigan of Deuel was third.

Aberdeen Roncalli placed third in both team points.

“I was really proud of our efforts today,” said Roncalli coach Brady Lesnar. “I thought as a team we competed as a whole. I thought everybody did very well.”

The Cavaliers had four runners in the top 20 in both divisions.

Addison Cassady was fourth in the girls’ race.

“On our girls’ side, I thougth Addy ran an awesome race,” Lesnar said. “The three girls ahead of her are some of the top runners in the state. She was right there.”

Roncalli’s Hazel Kannegeiter was eighth, with teammates Sarah Schmidt and Paige Schmidt, 12th and 14th, respectively.

On the boys’ side, Paul Gutenkauf was fourth and Matthew Peterson was ninth.

“I thought Paul Gutenkauf had an excellent race today,” Lesnar said. “Him and Matt both competed very hard.”

Roncalli’s Isaac Price and Ben Bradley finished 17th and 18th, respectively.

The Cavaliers and Deuel both scored the same amount of points, but the Cardinals were awarded second based on a pusher.

“We tied with Deuel, and one runner switches a spot and we could have been sitting runner-up there,”
Lesnar said.

As a collective effort, Lesnar felt that the meet was his teams’ top performance of the season.

“We really talked this week about taking care of the game and doing the things that we need to be doing,” Lesnar said. “I think we just had a really solid week and kind of came together on a few things as a team, and it was really fun to see them do that.”

The Cavaliers return to Webster next Thursday for the Region 1A meet, which Lesnar said will be even more challenging because in addition to the NEC teams, the region will also include the likes of Great Plains Lutheran and Tri-State.

Lesnar likes the direction his runners are trending heading into the postseason.

“Just excited where we’re at,” Lesnar said, “and hopefully we can keep making gains as we go.”

To see complete meet results, click on the following link:

https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/226347/results/all