Card boys' cross country: Team finishes 10th at State Class AA meet

• McCoy

Austin McCoy finished 45th for the Cardinal boys’ cross country team at the State Class AA meet in Northfield Saturday. McCoy, a senior, ran a 17:08.2 and helped his team to a 10th place team finish.

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The Alexandria boys’ cross country team wrapped up the 2009 season by placing 10th at the state meet this past weekend.

“The coaches were pleased with the focus and preparation that this team demonstrated,” head coach Mark Nelsen said. “The boys were a little disappointed as they had set their goals higher. They had hoped to finish better than the Willmar team that had defeated them by a point at the CLC meet. Willmar was 13th, so that goal was met.”

Zach Hodgson led the Cardinal runners with a time of 16:39.7. That was good for 19th individually.

“His experience and performance should be motivation to be a front runner for 2010,” Nelsen said.

Will Sieling and Austin McCoy finished second and third for Alexandria with times of 17:06.2 and 17:08.2, respectively. That was good for 41st and 45th, individually.

“Will is a sophomore and this is already his second state meet,” Nelsen said. “This should bode well for Will next year. Austin was not as aggressive as we had hoped the first 1,600 meters, but he did an awesome job over the final 1,200 meters.”

Dan Gorghuber rounded out the top four finishers for the Cardinals. He turned it on over the final half of the race and passed close to 30 runners to finish 69th with a time of 17:29.4. Sam Vinje (17:44.4), Mitch Ronning (17:52.2) and Dave Ohman (17:55.2) finished the scoring for Alexandria.

Ronning was diagnosed with mononucleosis after the section meet. He was still able to train and was given a doctor’s permission to compete.

“He was not 100 percent, but definitely gave a hundred percent,” Nelsen said.

The Cardinals finished with 257 points, 13 behind ninth-place Lakeville North. Eden Prairie won the state meet with 47 points. Wayzata came in second, while Burnsville rounded out the top three.

It was the final race in a Cardinal uniform for McCoy, Vinje and Ohman. All three played a big role in leading Alexandria to its second state meet in as many years.

“We will miss all of our seniors and their leadership,” Nelsen said.

STATE CROSS COUNTRY

MEET RESULTS

TEAM RESULTS – 1. Eden Prairie – 47 points; 2. Wayzata – 57 points; 3. Burnsville – 113 points; 4. St. Thomas Academy – 139 points; 5. Stillwater – 163 points; 6. White Bear Lake – 208 points; 7. Moorhead – 211 points; 8. Totino Grace – 225 points; 9. Lakeville North – 244 points; 10. Alexandria – 257 points; 11. Owatonna – 272 points; 12. Andover – 284 points; 13. Willmar – 289 points; 14. Mankato East – 330 points; 15. Cambridge-Isanti – 340 points; 16. Forest Lake – 379

ALEXANDRIA RESULTS – 19. Zach Hodgson – 16:39.7; 41. Will Sieling – 17:06.2; 45. Austin McCoy – 17:08.2; 69. Dan Gorghuber – 17:29.4; 83. Sam Vinje – 17:44.4; 89. Mitch Ronning – 17:52.2; 91. Dave Ohman – 17:55.2

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