HURON – They got split up a bit more than usual, but the Potter County girls still packed it up and ran off with the team’s first ever State B Cross Country Championship Saturday afternoon.

The Battlers won the team title by 36 points over Arlington at Broadland Creek Golf Course, placing three runners among the top 17 finishers.

“My girls ran great,” said Potter County coach Jessica Larson. “It was a fun day.”

The Battlers were led by Dannika Kaup who was fifth, Jadyn Ahlemeier was who 12th, and Emma Schlachter who was 17th.

“All of us run together in practice. We work together in practice. We are basically like a big family,” Kaup said. “We’re so close in times that it really helps us. Boom, Boom, Boom, Potter County.”

Other team members are Rayel Persoon and Paige Ahlemeier.

After finishing second a year ago, the Battlers were able to take home the major hardware this time.

“We’re pretty pumped up and excited for this one,” Coach Larson said.

Freshman Emery Larson of Chester Area ran away from the field to win the girls’ individual championship.

“I just knew going in that I had to get out fast and get out aggressive, and continue that pace,” Larson said of her strategy.

She opened up a 21-second lead early and stretched the margin to 47 seconds later in the race, and eventually won by nearly a minute. Not too bad for somebody who just tried cross country for the first time this season.

“A few years ago I didn’t really like long distance,” she said. “I was more of a sprinter and over time I just really realized my passion and joy for running longer distances, and that I actually had endurance.”

Last year’s champion Ella Boekelheide of Northwestern finished second. The freshman tried to keep pace with Larson, but soon realized that was not going to work.

“I definitely went out faster than I usually do,” Boekelheide said. “I tried to stay with her, but I kind of knew that I wasn’t going to be able to hold that, so then I was just fighting for second.”

The course took its toll on the field as runners had to battle hills at difficult stages of the race.

“Some of those hills were pretty killer,” Boekelheide said. “Just looking at it, it doesn’t look very hard, but once you get in the race, oh, it’s a different story.”

Area place winners included Ipswich’s Madisyn Gellhaus who was seventh, Katie Steger of Aberdeen Christian was who 19th. Gracyn Kadlec of Ipswich who was 20th, and Kennadee Wiedebush of Warner who was 22nd.

Steger worked her way through a pack of runners to get into placing contention.

“Actually for the first two miles I thought I was like in 30th,” Steger said, “but then when they told me I was in 45th, I was like, err, I don’t really like that very much.”

Steger said she almost tripped during the race, but joked about being prepared after a pre-race fall.

“I fell before the race on my face,” the junior said, “so I think that was kind of my introduction on how I was going to be able to get back up again, I guess.”

The Knights finished seventh as a team as Rachel Beaner took 31st and Grace Steger was 57th.

With Emery Larson setting the pace, the field got out a bit quicker than normal.

“I always tell them to run their own race,” said Christian coach Livia Inches. “Especially the first mile at these bigger meets, there are going to be girls that go out faster, but also try and hold your place at the same time. I think that generally they tend to start a little farther back and move up as the race goes along.”

Philip won the boys’ team title with Northwestern second and Ipswich fourth.

Northwestern, which also finished sixth in the girls’ team points, had a solid day.

“They ran the plan that we had for them,” said Wildcats coach Kris Boekelheide. “Everybody had their own race strategy and it all went as we were hoping.”

Northwestern was able to improve on performances it had at the Region 1B meet the week before in Webster.

“We had some kids that didn’t quite do their strategy at regions,” Boekelheide said, “and they were more determined to do it today, and it all worked out.”

Northwestern’s Lincoln Woodring led the race early on before falling back and finishing fourth. Josiah Schroeder of Canistota won the event. Potter County’s Nicholas Schlachter finished strong and ended up taking third.

“It’s a lot about guts and determining if you have the speed to do it,” Schlachter said of his kick at the end.

He knew he had something left in the tank for the finish.

“That last 800 you drop the hammer and you just go,” he said.

After finishing fifth last season, Schlachter had a goal of winning the state championship this season.

The junior has now motivation for his upcoming senior campaign.

“I think it was pretty good, but it wasn’t the goal I wanted,” Schlachter said of taking third. “I have to let that fuel me for next year.”

Other area place winners were Nathan Melius of Northwestern who was 10th, Fredrick’s Milo Sumption who was 19th, Ipswich’s Dylan Wald who was 20th, Xavier Kadlec 21st, and Turner Thorson 23rd, and John Bretsch who was 24th.

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

https://results.dakotatiming.com/display.html?event_id=1082