BAGLEY, Minn (KWAD) – In one of the area’s final Cross Country Section Championships in the state, Section 8A ran at Twin Pines Golf Course in Bagley on Friday afternoon. United North Central’s girls rode a devastating 1–2 finish from Macie Josephson and Anaya Aho to the team runner-up spot, while Park Rapids Area grabbed second in the boys race and a girls podium finish from freshman Greta Galzki at the MSHSL Section 8A Championships on Friday.
UNC senior Macie Josephson stamped her authority on the section, winning the individual title in 19:01.2, and junior Anaya Aho followed just behind in 19:24.6 as the Warriors went 1–2 out of the gate. Eighth-grader Eva Lehto added a clutch 15th in a personal best 20:26.0, with Elsa Komppa (29th, 21:12.0) and Miley Westberg (37th, 21:32.8) rounding out the scoring five for a total of 82 points, trailing only 8A champion Barnesville.
UNC posted a top-five total of 1:41:36 (avg 20:19, 2:31 spread). Depth carried through the lineup as Avyana Isaacson (48th, 22:19.7) and Joanna Lehto (57th, 22:45.0) displaced competitors late.
Greta Galzki delivered a statement race for Park Rapids Area, taking 3rd in 19:32.1 (PR) after splitting 6:05/12:30 through two miles and will head to the state meet as an individual qualifier. The Panthers’ scoring five—Grace Etter (32nd, 21:17.3), Katelynn Henderson (34th, 21:20.8), Madeline Brandt (40th, 21:38.3), and Sarah Hartung (73rd, 23:39.7)—secured 6th as a team with 176 points (top-5 total 1:47:28, avg 21:29).
In the boys race, Park Rapids boys put three in the top 16 and five in the top 26 to finish runner-up with 56 points, just behind Hawley (48) in a deep field. Sophomore Jack Mitteness surged to 2nd in 16:30.0 (5:08 opening mile), and junior Tyler Huot placed 5th in 17:11.4. Junior Christian Thorson added 11th in 17:28.7, while Cesar Quixan Gutierrez (16th, 18:11.0) and Parker Larson (22nd, 18:31.3) slammed the door. Andrew Mercil (26th, 18:41.2) and Leo Kueber (27th, 18:41.6) provided the kind of displacement that keeps podium hopes intact at state.
UNC senior Drew Aho earned a 3rd-place podium in 16:58.1 (5:27/11:03 splits), leading United North Central to 7th with 258 points. Gavin Schreiber (33rd, 18:59.0), Kale Anderson (66th, 20:00.2), Darryl Haverinen (79th, 20:39.3), and Rohan Kuschel (80th, 20:41.1) completed the scoring, with Keegan Josephson (91st, 21:06.3) and Nolan Heltunen (93rd, 21:15.8) in support.
Section 8A Cross Country Championships
Team Standings — Girls
| Pl | Team | Score | Scoring Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barnesville | 67 | 6-11-14-16-20 (21,30) |
| 2 | United North Central | 82 | 1-2-15-28-36 (46,55) |
| 3 | Hawley XC | 107 | 17-19-22-23-26 (43,52) |
| 4 | Riverside Christian | 113 | 4-9-27-35-38 (40,54) |
| 5 | Fertile-Beltrami | 167 | 5-8-34-51-69 (105,106) |
| 6 | Park Rapids Area | 176 | 3-31-33-39-70 (77,91) |
| 7 | West Marshall | 228 | 18-32-50-53-75 (92,99) |
| 8 | Warroad | 230 | 7-48-56-59-60 (72,87) |
| 9 | Roseau | 244 | 25-44-45-64-66 (89,90) |
| 10 | Nevis | 260 | 13-29-71-73-74 (76,86) |
| 11 | Lake Park-Audubon | 274 | 24-37-57-62-94 (104) |
| 12 | Frazee | 282 | 10-42-63-67-100 (101,102) |
| 13 | Clearbrook-Gonvick | 321 | 12-58-68-88-95 (103) |
| 14 | Pelican Rapids | 327 | 41-47-78-80-81 (97) |
| 15 | Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton | 343 | 49-61-65-83-85 (96) |
| 16 | Northern Freeze | 436 | 79-82-84-93-98 |
Team Standings — Boys
| Pl | Team | Score | Scoring Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawley XC | 48 | 4-7-8-12-17 (18,20) |
| 2 | Park Rapids Area | 56 | 2-5-11-16-22 (26,27) |
| 3 | Roseau | 133 | 9-13-31-36-44 (71,82) |
| 4 | Warroad | 202 | 6-41-43-54-58 (66,72) |
| 5 | Nevis | 214 | 10-32-35-68-69 (70,89) |
| 6 | Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton | 216 | 1-21-40-49-105 |
| 7 | United North Central | 258 | 3-33-65-78-79 (88,90) |
| 8 | Lake of the Woods/Rainy River | 276 | 14-45-48-73-96 (101) |
| 9 | Ada-Borup-West | 276 | 24-46-56-59-91 (102,116) |
| 10 | Lake Park-Audubon | 281 | 25-52-60-67-77 (109) |
| 11 | Red Lake County | 283 | 30-42-47-50-114 |
| 12 | Frazee | 283 | 34-38-61-63-87 |
| 13 | Barnesville | 288 | 15-53-62-74-84 (97,98) |
| 14 | Pelican Rapids | 302 | 28-51-57-81-85 (86,99) |
| 15 | Cass Lake-Bena | 305 | 29-37-55-80-104 |
| 16 | Bagley/Fosston | 338 | 23-64-75-83-93 (100,119) |
| 17 | Fertile-Beltrami | 366 | 19-39-95-106-107 (110,118) |
| 18 | New York Mills | 520 | 92-94-103-111-120 |
| 19 | TrekNorth | 524 | 76-108-112-113-115 (117) |
Girls — Individual Finishers (Top 15)
| Pl | Athlete | School | Time | Yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macie Josephson | United North Central | 19:01.2 | SR |
| 2 | Anaya Aho | United North Central | 19:24.6 | JR |
| 3 | Greta Galzki* | Park Rapids Area | 19:32.1 | FR |
| 4 | Emelia Arntson* | Riverside Christian | 19:43.4 | 8 |
| 5 | Kaylee Nelson* | Fertile-Beltrami | 19:48.5 | 8 |
| 6 | Cassidy Rotz | Barnesville | 19:58.8 | 8 |
| 7 | Linnea Harren* | Warroad | 20:00.6 | SR |
| 8 | Katrina Hitchen* | Fertile-Beltrami | 20:13.5 | SR |
| 9 | Ella Arntson* | Riverside Christian | 20:17.2 | JR |
| 10 | Rilynn Ruiz | Frazee | 20:20.2 | 8 |
| 11 | Sienna Marshall | Barnesville | 20:20.4 | 7 |
| 12 | Isabelle Krog | Clearbrook-Gonvick | 20:20.4 | 8 |
| 13 | Adeline Bjorklund | Nevis | 20:21.2 | SR |
| 14 | Carly Orvik | Barnesville | 20:21.4 | 8 |
| 15 | Eva Lehto | United North Central | 20:26.0 | 8 |
*notes individual state qualifier
Boys — Individual Leaders
| Pl | Athlete | School | Time | Yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Owen Winter* | Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton | 16:19.7 | SR |
| 2 | Jack Mitteness | Park Rapids Area | 16:30.0 | SO |
| 3 | Drew Aho* | United North Central | 16:58.1 | SR |
| 4 | Bennett Johnson | Hawley XC | 17:08.6 | FR |
| 5 | Tyler Huot | Park Rapids Area | 17:11.4 | JR |
| 6 | Tyson McKeever* | Warroad | 17:11.6 | JR |
| 7 | Coleman Hoff | Hawley XC | 17:12.2 | SR |
| 8 | Drew Knecht | Hawley XC | 17:14.2 | SO |
| 9 | Van Munstenteiger* | Roseau | 17:22.7 | SR |
| 10 | Brennyn Ott* | Nevis | 17:22.7 | SO |
| 11 | Christian Thorson | Park Rapids Area | 17:28.7 | JR |
| 12 | Landon Nathe | Hawley XC | 17:33.4 | JR |
| 13 | Asher Munstenteiger* | Roseau | 17:35.5 | SO |
| 14 | Isaiah Youso | Lake of the Woods/Rainy River | 17:53.0 | 8 |
| 15 | Levi Cossette | Barnesville | 18:09.2 | SO |
| 16 | Cesar Quixan Gutierrez | Park Rapids Area | 18:11.0 | SO |
*notes individual state qualifier