New Richmond runners look good in Husky Invite

• Billy Schmitt

Somerset’s Billy Schmitt wades through the stream that is crossed several times during the River Falls Extreme Cross Country Meet.

Talk about it

The New Richmond cross country team found it matches up well with some of the top Division 1 programs in the area on Saturday.

The Tigers ran in the Eau Claire North’s Husky Invitational at Eau Claire Wells on Saturday. New Richmond’s girls team placed fourth in the meet and the Tiger boys placed seventh.

The New Richmond girls graduated several top runners, but the girls showed they are ready to bounce back just as strongly this season. Junior Maddie Kelly led a pack of Tigers by placing 14th in the meet. Audrey DeKock, Shelby Rolland and Kennedy Kling ran together, placing 16th, 18th and 19th and Anne Frank was seven seconds behind them, placing 23rd.

The shocker in the girls race was the performance of Eau Claire Memorial freshman Audrey Roberts. This race had many standout runners, but Roberts left them all in her wake. She covered the course in 16:04, winning with an 18-second cushion.

The Tiger boys are developing one of the stronger squads in several years. The trio of Alex Charbonneau, Jack Utzman and Ben Norman gives the team a solid group of leaders. Utzman was the top Tiger in Saturday’s meet, placing 23rd overall.

Tiger coach Beth Kelly was enthused over how the younger Tigers performed in Saturday’s race. North gives awards by grade level and New Richmond had four of the top six freshmen boys in the race. Bailey Wilson was the top freshman runner, with Sam Krueger, Aaron Anderson and Hunter Charland also placing in the top six freshmen.

River Falls

Extreme Meet

The annual starting meet for the cross country season was held last Thursday when teams from around the area ran in the River Falls Extreme Meet.

Because this meet has several stream crossings and other obstacles, teams aren’t overly concerned about the time and places of the runners. Coach Kelly said the Tigers use the meet as a dress rehearsal for the pre-race and post-race routines. She said the meet is always one that her runners look forward to as one of the traditions of the season.

“It’s a hard race, but they love it,” Kelly said.

The Extreme Meet was the first meet for the Somerset runners under new coach Julie Mocadlo. She said she was impressed with the Spartans who ran with a competitive attitude.

“It’s a great way to start our season. For kids who’ve never run cross country before it’s a unique experience,” Mocadlo said. “It’s a good way to get them started.”

The Spartans have 24 runners out this season, 15 boys and nine girls.

2012 Husky Invitational Cross Country Meet

Girls Team Scores: Hudson 48, Eau Claire Memorial 53, Holmen 61, New Richmond 90, Menomonie 165, Chippewa Falls 194, Rice Lake 200, Amery 203, Fall Creek 220, Eau Claire North 250, Cadott 262

New Richmond places

14. Maddie Kelly 17:51; 16. Audrey DeKock 18:01; 18. Shelby Rolland 18:02; 19. Kennedy Kling 18:02; 23. Anne Frank 18:09; 25. Meghan Watkins 18:12; 29. Ellen Meisner 18:18

Boys Team Scores: La Crosse Logan 27, Eau Claire Memorial 61, Hudson 77, Eau Claire North 130, Menomonie 146, Holmen 186, New Richmond 188, Chippewa Falls 236, Rice Lake 282, Fall Creek 283, Amery 284, Cadott 337

New Richmond places

23. Jack Utzman 18:47; 37. Ben Norman 19:46; 41. Alex Charbonneau 20:01; 43. Eric Gilkison 20:09; 44. Luke Miller 20:09; 47. Bailey Wilson 20:19; 49. Zack Schoepke 20:20

Tags: cross country, sports, tigers, prep