Rock Ridge finished agonizingly close to a state championship on Saturday in the MSHSL cross country meet at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, finishing second to Mankato East in the Class AA boys team competition by two points.
Senior standout Cameron Stocke suffered a similar, if not identical fate, in identical competition. He took second, however he was well-beaten by Belle Plaine senior Emmett Gerres, who won the 5-kilometer event in 15 minutes, 13.7 seconds with Stocke 9.3 seconds behind.
The Cougars had 111 points to the Wolverines' 113, with their win based on 29th and 37th-place finishes from their lineup against Rock Ridge's fourth and fifth runners, who were 34th and 41st among runners on affiliated teams.
Cloquet senior Miles Fischer had a solid finish, taking 15th in 16:18.3.
Jake Bradach of Rock Ridge was 24th in the overall lineup, while Ian Thorpe of North Shore (26th) and Jack Kendall of Rock Ridge (40th) landed in the individual top 50.
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The Rock Ridge girls were seventh in the 16-team field, with Hibbing in ninth, just four points behind. St. Paul Highland Park won the state championship, with their junior, Luna Scorzelli taking the individual race in 17:45.1.
Rock Ridge's Maija Lamppa was the top local finisher, in 25th (19:27.8), while Olya Wright of North Shore (37th) and Lamar Gordon of North Shore (50th) finished in the top 50 individually.
In Class A, Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin ended up fifth of 16 teams, while Moose Lake/Willow River/Barnum finished 13th behind champions Heritage Christian.
Cromwell-Wright senior Noah Foster was the top local runner, taking sixth about 25 seconds behind winner Brandon Kampsen of Sauk Centre.
Esko senior Benjamin Meysembourg came home 42nd, with South Ridge's Alex Burckhardt in 44th and GNK senior Benjamin Plackner in 46th.
The Carlton/Wrenshall girls were 14th in A team competition, while the best individual finisher was GNK freshman Lola Champlin, who took 15th, one spot ahead of Section 7A champion Evelyn Brodeen of South Ridge. Both found themselves about 1:45 behind winner Jade Rypkema of Nevis. Perham won the team title.
Carlton/Wrenshall eighth-grader Brielle Simula was 37th and Mountain Iron-Buhl junior Liz Nelson took 41st.
Duluth East senior Oliver Miatke finished 71st in the AAA boys race in 16:47, 1:36 behind winner Aidan Jones of Minneapolis Washburn, while teammates Mark Kaczmarczyk and Sam Blascyk finished in succession, taking 130th and 131st. Ordean East eighth-grader Sasha Wahman took 67th in the girls race in 19:45.6, just under three minutes behind winner Abbey Nechanicky of Wayzata.
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Wayzata won both team championships.
VOLLEYBALL
Ely continues unbeaten run
The Ely Timberwolves bounced back from dropping the second set of the Section 7A championship match at Hermantown High School to dominate the last two, with their 3-1 (25-22, 22-25, 25-10, 25-13) victory over Floodwood sending them to the state volleyball tournament for the first time.
Nova Classical Academy lost the Section 4AA championship match in five sets on Saturday, making Ely (28-0) the only undefeated team remaining in the state of Minnesota.
Hannah Penke led the way for the Timberwolves with 19 kills, while Rachel Coughlin added 10 and Kate Coughlin nine. Madeline Kallberg had 25 assists and Sarah Visser 19 for Ely. Kallberg and Rachel Coughlin had six blocks apiece and Lilli Rechichi added four.
Defensively, Kate Coughlin posted 23 digs and Rachel Coughlin 18.
For the Polar Bears, Kenzie Kimonski and Nakaiyah Nimene finished with 10 kills apiece from some of Kylie Hart's 38 assists. Darby Autio led the defense with 29 digs, Alice Irvine had 19 and Kimonski 17.
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