PERHAM, Minn. (KWAD) – When Perham hosts a cross country meet, they do it big. Spectators saw more than 1,200 runners at Arvig Park in August for the Brave Like Gabe Invite to kick off the season. To finish the regular season, 26 teams were in attendance for the Harrier Invite: an evening that saw boys and girls Mite races, boys and girls junior high races, boys and girls JV races, and finally the boys and girls varsity races.

The Perham girls ran away with the team title behind a devastating front five, while the Perham boys authored a masterclass in pack running to win with plenty of room to spare before Conference meets early next week. The night also belonged to Staples-Motley senior Audrey Brownell, who delivered a wire-to-wire victory—and one of Minnesota’s fastest times of the week—in 17:57.4.

Brownell, the defending Class A State Champion, separated early and never looked back. The senior’s 17:57.4 was the only sub-18 clocking of the day and set a tone that held even as Perham’s front line gathered in formation behind her. Cassie Wellman of Fergus Falls finished runner-up with a time of 18:26.8.

From there, the Yellowjackets slammed the door. Gracie Morris (3rd, 18:53.4), Julianna Scraper (4th, 18:56.7) and Chayla Sweere (5th, 18:57.0) poured across the line inside 24 seconds, then Caidyn Breid (8th, 19:10.0) and Rory Kaldor (13th, 19:35.2) finished the job. That 1-5 punch—3-4-5-8-13 for 33 points—made the team outcome feel inevitable long before the scorers were tallied. Tilly Mathies finished 14th (19:27) and Avalee Brown placed 19th (19:36.1) as an exclamation point on Perham’s depth.

Behind Perham, Little Falls stacked steady mid-pack points for second (118), and defending Class A state champ St. Cloud Cathedral edged a crowded chase for third (138). Moorhead placed fourth (150), while Breckenridge/Wahpeton—lifted by Kiera Wiertzema (6th, 18:59.1) and Lucie Comstock (9th, 19:10.7)—claimed fifth (200).

One of the night’s sneakiest-good runs came from United North Central’s Macie Josephson, who was composed and fearless en route to 7th in 19:07.3, leading UNC to eighth (222) in a 21-team field. Fergus Falls landed 10th (260), powered by Wellman and Carsyn Lill (10th, 19:13.9).

In her first action back since an early-season injury, Kendra Miller of Bertha-Hewitt placed 22nd with a time of 19:38.0.

The boys’ varsity turned into a statement of intent from the hosts. Perham packed all five scorers in the top 10 to win with 29 points—and did it with a remarkably tight 26-second 1–5 spread with Matt Jorgenson (2nd, 15:56.4), Brody Freeland (5th, 16:04.7), Reid Wokasch (7th, 16:09.4), Henry Mathiason (9th, 16:21.3), and Bryce Brown (10th, 16:22.3). Add in the Yellowjackets’ displacers Dylan Guck (11th, 16:22.9) and Ben Mathiason (11th, 16:26.4) in team order, and the scoring math got lopsided in a hurry.

The individual boys champion came from outside the winning squad: Detroit Lakes sophomore Connor Malecka uncorked a polished win in 15:46.0, separating from the field over the back half to beat Jorgenson and DGF senior Owen Winter (3rd, 16:02.9).

The Bertha-Hewitt Bears finished fifth as a team, leaning on a true low-stick and a steady scoring wall. Brady Rach (6th, 16:07.7) set the tone up front, with Henry Lockwood (16th, 16:50.8) and Nolan Rach (29th, 17:10.8) locking in mid-teens points. Depth carried the day as Gunnar Barthel (50th, 17:49.3) and Vance Lockwood (61st, 18:05.4) closed the scoring, while Jakub Stovicek (94th, 19:31.2) provided insurance as the displacer.

Brainerd rode Jonathan Cowell’s podium (4th, 16:03.5) and a wave of finishers from 20-24 to take second (92); Bemidji leaned on balance—13-16-17-18-41—for third (105). Moorhead (140) and Bertha-Hewitt (153) rounded out the top five on the team sheet. Ottertail Central’s Peter Newark was one of the night’s revelations, grabbing 8th in 16:20.4 to pace OTC to 10th (267). Detroit Lakes, despite Malecka’s win, settled 9th (248) in a deep, 21-team heat.

Next up for area teams: their respective conference meets next Tuesday. The Heart O Lakes Conference Meet will be in Breckenridge, the Central Lakes Conference Meet will be at Rocori, and the Park Region Conference Meet will be in Henning.