LITTLE FALLS, Minn (KWAD) — Perham cross country owned the day at Thursday’s Lucky Lindy Invitational in Little Falls on Thursday, winning both the boys and girls team crowns behind tight packs and front-running depth.
Perham’s boys stacked five scorers inside the top 14 to post 41 points, outpacing Becker (106) and Minnehaha Academy (135) in an 18-team field. Freshman Brody Freeland set the tone in 3rd at 16:12.9, with sophomore Bryce Brown 5th (16:20.5) and senior Matt Jorgenson 7th (16:22.1) close behind. Seniors Henry Mathiason (12th, 16:39.0) and Dylan Guck (14th, 16:41.6) closed the scoring.
Perham’s displacement only strengthened the margin: senior Reid Wokasch was 16th (16:53.2) and ninth-grader Ethan Johnson added 18th (16:58.5). The Yellowjackets’ 1–5 spread was just 28.7 seconds (16:12.9 to 16:41.6), and their 1–7 split was 45.6 seconds—elite depth for mid-September.
Marshall’s Samuel Deutz won the race in 15:43, trailed closely by Detroit Lakes’ Connor Malecka’s time of 15:49.
Perham’s girls were equally decisive, scoring 25 points to finish well ahead of Little Falls (76) and Becker (117). Senior Gracie Morris (2nd, 19:19.0) and freshman Julianna Scraper (3rd, 19:19.3) delivered a 1-2 punch, followed by seniors Avalee Brown (5th, 19:40.0) and Chayla Sweere (7th, 19:43.3). Senior Caidyn Breid sealed it in 9th (19:46.8). Perham also packed two more in the top 20: freshman Rory Kaldor (17th, 20:15.9) and sophomore Addison Toedter (20th, 20:23.3).
Perham’s 1–5 spread was 27.8 seconds.
Cassie Wellman of Fergus Falls won the race in 18:39.3.
Boys – Top Individuals
- Samuel Deutz (Marshall) 15:43.7
- Connor Malecka (Detroit Lakes) 15:49.3
- Brody Freeland (Perham) 16:12.9
- Emmett Morse (Minnehaha Academy) 16:20.2
- Bryce Brown (Perham) 16:20.5
- Curtis Griffin (Thief River Falls) 16:21.9
- Matt Jorgenson (Perham) 16:22.1
- Brenden Sylvester (Grand Rapids) 16:23.3
- Parker Spindler (Becker) 16:27.6
- Jack Calvin (Minnehaha Academy) 16:31.7
Boys — Team Scores
- Perham 41
- Becker 106
- Minnehaha Academy 135
- Marshall 155
- Pequot Lakes 164
- Fergus Falls 191
- Grand Rapids 199
- Laguna Beach 203
- Greenway/Nashwauk/ 240
- Rocori 242
- Detroit Lakes 259
- Thief River Falls 292
- Little Falls 329
- Foley 329
- Albany 349
- St. Cloud Apollo 387
- Milaca 463
- Sauk Rapids-Rice 493
Girls —Top Individuals
- Cassie Wellman (Fergus Falls) 18:39.3
- Gracie Morris (Perham) 19:19.0
- Julianna Scraper (Perham) 19:19.3
- Taylor Covier (Greenway/Nashwauk/) 19:38.1
- Avalee Brown (Perham) 19:40.0
- Carsyn Lill (Fergus Falls) 19:43.1
- Chayla Sweere (Perham) 19:43.3
- Kyra Rohrbach (Pequot Lakes) 19:46.7
- Caidyn Breid (Perham) 19:46.8
- Alyse Denne (Becker) 19:55.7
Girls —Team Scores
- Perham 25
- Little Falls 76
- Becker 117
- Laguna Beach 140
- Greenway/Nashwauk/ 163
- Fergus Falls 178
- Marshall 214
- Rocori 226
- Albany 227
- Detroit Lakes 264
- Thief River Falls 275
- Grand Rapids 278
- Minnehaha Academy 302
- Sauk Rapids-Rice 316