Deerwood, Minn (KWAD) – The Roger Twigg Cross Country Invitational at Ruttger’s Bay brought together a strong field of central Minnesota programs Thursday afternoon, and the Pillager Huskies made sure their runners were in the mix on both the boys’ and girls’ sides. With gritty performances, the Pillager girls placed third in the team standings behind powerhouse Little Falls and Crosby-Ironton, while the boys showed depth in a competitive varsity race.

The girls’ varsity 5,000-meter race was dominated at the front by Little Falls, who swept the top five spots for a perfect team score of 15. But right behind them came Pillager’s leaders. Alainna Dobson, a senior, crossed the line in 6th place (22:07.5), and freshman Bellanie Kalis was hot on her heels, finishing 7th (22:08.7), separated by barely a second. That 1-2 punch gave the Huskies a foothold in the top 10 and momentum in the team standings.

The supporting cast filled in behind to help Pillager secure third place with 73 points. Sophomore Violette Metz (23rd, 27:47.5), junior Isabella Brinkman (24th, 28:29.3), and junior Rylie Eustice (25th, 30:33.4) rounded out the scoring five. Carissa Kerschner (31:09.6) and Elizabeth Holle (31:55.0) provided displacement points that helped keep other teams’ scores higher.

The boys’ varsity race saw McGregor-Aitkin and Little Falls battling for the team crown, with Crosby-Ironton and Pine River-Backus close behind. Pillager slotted into fifth place with 116 points, thanks to a balanced team effort.

Senior Eli Pexsa led the Huskies with a 19th-place finish in 21:25.5, followed by Nicholas Barg in 21st (21:55.3). Everett Wachsmuth (27th, 23:10.4) and Gabe Stephens (30th, 23:55.0) provided important mid-pack depth, while Jordan Brinkman (31st, 24:16.5) sealed the team score. Freshmen Parker Pallansch (32nd, 24:38.3) and Aidan Moen (37th, 26:22.5) gained valuable varsity experience.