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SUPERIOR — As Duluth East cross-country runner Oliver Miatke turned the corner for the third and final loop Thursday, Sept. 8, at the Dan Conway Classic, he began pulling away from Noah Foster.
That, however, was nothing compared to the afterburners he displayed as he rocketed toward the finish line at Pattison Park Golf Course, catching onlookers a little off-guard.
“I always have a kick, that’s what I like to say,” Miatke said. “There’s just something in my brain that whenever I see the finish, it takes me to another level.”
Miatke (pronounced MATT-key) won going away, with the senior covering the five kilometers in 16 minutes, 34.5 seconds.
Foster, a senior with Cromwell-Wright/Barnum, was second in 16:57.5 and Cloquet senior Miles Fischer third in 17:20.3. Duluth East junior Sam Blascyk (17:23.0) was fourth as the Greyhounds, competing as a team in the Dan Conway Classic for the first time since 2017, dominated in the boys team competition.
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Superior sophomore Tayler McMeekin breezed to victory in the girls race in 20:16.4, with Northwestern junior Jenna Hursh a distant second in 21:03.9. Duluth East junior Rowan Bixler was third in 21:08.5 as the Greyhounds easily took the girl team title after placing five runners in the top eight.
McMeekin, who has dealt with knee issues and got a slow start to the season, lopped about 1:15 off her season best in winning her first race this fall.
Is she back?
“I think so,” McMeekin said, cracking a smile as big as her performance Thursday.
This was the first time in about 20 years the race wasn’t held at its traditional home, Nemadji Golf Course.
The temperature was in the mid-80s with a strong wind out of the south as Superior senior Ethan Grams hosed down runners with cold water as they came by.
“That was nice,” McMeekin said of getting water to begin the last lap and then after the race. “And it was nice that it wasn’t sunny. The course was pretty flat for the most part, except for a couple bumps. It was three full loops, compared to Nemadji, which was two. That made it a little harder.”
There’s a psychological aspect that tells the brain three laps is more than two, even if the distance is the same. And, it gets a little boring, according to McMeekin.
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The sun came out for the boys race later in the afternoon and Foster noticed. He was asked how he was feeling.
“Hot,” he said.
Foster, the Cardinals standout, has dealt with knee issues, sore glutes and was sick earlier in the season.
“It’s been tough,” he said.
The remedy?
“Stretch more,” he said.
Foster said he’s about 85% healthy, and to keep up with a burner like Miatke, that doesn’t cut it. Miatke turned his 10-yard lead into 50 yards in a hurry on that last lap.
“He took off, and I hit the wall,” Foster said.
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Pattison Park welcomes runners
Superior athletic director Ella Olson knew that Nemadji Golf Course wouldn’t work for the Dan Conway Classic this year, so she reached out to Pattison Park Golf Course.
“They said absolutely,” Olson recalled. “Come on out.”
Pattison Park has new owners in Brad and Deanna Moen and they saw the event as an opportunity to grow their product. The Spartans checked out the course in June with Brad Moen leading the way and found it suitable for Superior cross country’s signature event.
“He’s been amazing to work with,” Olson said. “He has bent over backwards for whatever we’ve needed.”
Pattison Park had to shut down for the event, whereas Nemadji, with 36 holes, could still operate, albeit with more limited capacity and logistical issues. It’s a busy time of the year for Nemadji, which is also under new management, as golfers scramble to get rounds in while the weather is still optimal.
“They never said we couldn’t have it there,” Olson said of Nemadji. “We just couldn’t do it now.”
- An ambulance was called out to Pattison Park to attend to a girls runner but Olson said it turned out to be nothing serious.
Boys
Teams
1. Duluth East, 39; 2. Northwestern, 89; 3. Moose Lake/Willow River/Barnum, 116; 4. Superior, 125; 5. North Shore, 136; 6. Cloquet, 154; 7. Esko, 166; 8. Hayward, 178; 9. Duluth Denfeld, 189; 10. Hermantown, 251; 11. Lakeview Chistian Academy, 314.
Individuals
1. Oliver Miatke, DE, 16 minutes, 34.5 seconds; Noah Foster, Cromwell-Wright/Barnum, 16:57.5; 3. Miles Fischer, Cloq., 17:20.3; 4. Sam Blascyk, DE, 17:23.0; 5. Benjamin Meysembourg, Esko, 17:27.7; 6. Ian Thorpe, NS, 17:38.8; 7. Emmett Johnson, NW, 17:45.6; Charles Juntunen, DD, 18:01.9’ 9. Jack Riley, Carlton-Wrenshall, 18:04.7; 10. Mark Jarman, NW, 18:08.4.
Girls
Teams
1. Duluth East, 29; 2. North Shore, 77; 3. Northwestern, 89; 4. Cloquet, 132; 5. Moose Lake/Willow River/Barnum, 156; 6., Superior, 164; 7. Hayward, 169; 8. Duluth Marshall, 186; 9. Hermantown, 200; 10. Duluth Denfeld, 223.
Individuals
1. Tayler McMeekin, Sup., 20:16.4, 2. Jenna Hursh, NW, 21:03.9; 3. Rowan Bixler, DE, 21:08.5; 4. Olya Wright, NW, 21:11.0; 5. Anna-Britta Helmer, DE, 21:18.6; 6. Carolina Arvold, DE, 21:23.1; 7. Taylor Wood, DE, 21:32.3; 8. Sasha Wahman, DE, 21:32.8; 9. Lamar Gordon , NS, 21:34.1; 10. Grace McCormick, DD, 21:39.5.
