Cross country championships held Saturday
By Erik Buchinger
The New London boys’ cross country team finished in 15th place at the state cross country championships in Wisconsin Rapids on Saturday, Oct. 27.
Noah Schiedermayer led the Bulldogs with a 10th place finish (16:46.9) in the boys’ Division 2 race, and Max Krause placed 40th (16:46.9).
“I thought that would be an easy race,” said Schiedermayer, who competed at state last season. “Last year I felt really good, and probably the easiest race I ever ran was state last year and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the adrenaline, maybe it’s all the bread that I ate or maybe it was the snow before. It was not that easy this year, I felt really painful the whole time.”
New London’s Matt Dobija placed 72nd (18:09.6), Jeff Smolinski finished 87th (18:23.0) and Logan Heimbrunch placed 105th (18:56.9).
Other Bulldog runners included Kaden Reybrock, who finished 107th (18:58.5), and Gavin Hutchinson finished 110th (20:04.1).
In that same race, Clintonville’s Jesse Wilson, who won the Freedom Sectional the week prior to qualify, finished 121st (18:18.3).
“The crowd was really electric today, but I don’t think I had that good of a race,” Wilson said. “This crowd is huge and really fun, so this was a good experience.”
In the boys’ Division 1 race to start the day, Hortonville’s Jake Krause placed 63rd in 16:40.8.
“Compared to the snow at sectionals, it wasn’t so bad,” Krause said. “It was a little bit bitter sweet because I knew our team was good enough to make it, but we were just in the wrong sectional and it didn’t happen. It’s cool to be here by myself, but I wish my team could come with.”
In the final race of the day, which was the girls’ Division 2 race, New London’s Taya Fecteau finished in 76th place in 20:58.8.
“I definitely didn’t expect to be here at the beginning of the season,” Fecteau said. “I really had no expectations to make it here at all, but it was really cool to finish off my senior season here.”