Piepenburg, Richardson head to state AA cross country meet

Talk about it

Alexandria will send two girls to the State Class AA cross country meet Saturday as sophomore Jamie Piepenburg and senior Chelsey Richardson finished seventh and ninth respectively at the Section 8AA meet in Little Falls last Thursday.

“Our cross country teams competed on yet another wet afternoon,” said head coach Mark Nelsen. “I believe some of our runners are developing webbed feet from all the running in the rain we have done in October.

“The coaches were very pleased and impressed with the positive attitudes and intensity these runners brought to the starting line.

“The Alexandria girls finished third against some of the highest quality teams in Section 8AA in recent years,” he added.

“Jamie was not at 100 percent, but competed with great intensity. “Chelsey put a great surge on during the final 1,000 meters, moving into the top 10.”

Piepenburg ran a 15:20.4 for her seventh place finish, while Richardson ran a 15:22.7 for ninth.

“Katie Iverson had a lifetime best performance, finishing 14th,” said the coach. “Tess Boucher has been slowed down all season with a sore knee, but put together her best time of the season.

Iverson was 14th in 15:46.2 and Boucher 31st in 16:16.9.

“Shelby Iverson, Kaci McCoy and Randee O’Brien all had their lifetime bests,” said Nelsen. “These girls’ performances were even more impressive, considering how soft and wet the course was. This was truly their best team performance of the season.”

Heidi Peterson of Sartell was first in 14:51.43. She was 39th in last year’s meet.

Piepenburg was third at last year’s state meet, while Tess Boucher was 17th.

The girls run at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 7, at St. Olaf College in Northfield.

GIRLS’ TEAM SCORES – 1. Moorhead 87, 2. Monticello 89, 3. Alexandria 98, 4. Sartell 109, 5. Brainerd 132, 6. Little Falls 188, 7. St. Michael-Albertville 220, 8. Rocori 233, 9. Bemidji 246, 10. Becker 257, 11. Detroit Lakes 271, 12. Fergus Falls 312, 13. Big Lake 314, 14. St. Cloud Apollo 363, 15. St. Cloud Tech 390, 16. Sauk Rapids-Rice 439.

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION – Heidi Peterson, Sartell, 14:51.5.

ALEXANDRIA RESULTS – 7. Jamie Piepenburg 15:20.4, 9. Chelsey Richardson 15:22.7, 14. Katie Iverson 15:46.2, 31. Tess Boucher 16:16.9, 37. Shelby Iverson 16:30.43, 55. Kaci McCoy 17:15.48, 59. Randee O’Brien 17:20.88.

Tags: alexandria sports, sports, home, team, cardinals, girls, cross, country, piepenburg, richardson, section, 8aa, meet