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The Chisago Lakes cross country teams made a statement at the Section 7AA Championships on Thursday, October 23, at the Hibbing Municipal Golf Course, with the girls team advancing to the state meet and the boys narrowly missing out despite several standout performances.

For the Wildcats, the chilly northern air seemed to bring out their best racing of the season. The girls squad, led by sophomore sensation Annika Hall, dominated the front of the pack and helped the team earn a second-place finish, securing a berth to state. They were just three points behind section champion Hermantown.

Hall, who has been nearly untouchable all fall, was in a class of her own once again. She crossed the line in 18:05, more than a minute ahead of the next closest finisher. Her performance not only secured the individual section title but also set the tone for her team’s outstanding day.

Following closely behind was her sister, Kara Hall, who finished in 20:02 for a top-10 showing that provided key team points. Averiana Gellerman (20:26), Mataya Malek (20:37), and Lauren Kowarsch (21:15) rounded out the team’s top five, each finishing strong to help clinch second place overall in a tough field of 12 teams.

Also competing for the Wildcats were McKaylie Malek (21:47) and Arianna Husfelt (21:54), both finishing in the top 40. 

With the runner-up finish, the Chisago Lakes girls earned a return trip to the State Meet at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights on Saturday, November 1. 

Boys

While the girls celebrated a state berth, the Chisago Lakes boys team came agonizingly close to joining them. The Wildcats finished fourth overall, just shy of the top two team positions needed to advance, but junior Remy Larsen made sure the program would still be represented.

Larsen continued his breakout season with a sixth-place finish, clocking 16:37 on the challenging Hibbing course to secure an individual state qualification. His composure and late-race surge earned him one of the final individual spots for state.

Just missing out on the cutoff were teammates Cian O’Halloran and Kaden Osmundson, who placed 13th (17:09) and 14th (17:14) respectively. Their efforts helped keep the Wildcats in contention for a podium finish.

Also contributing to the strong team showing were Samuel Heaser (17:57), Jack Evans (18:24.6), Anden Solberg (18:24.9), and Gavin Harrer (18:56). Every runner battled hard against some of the state’s best competition.

The Wildcats’ fourth-place finish capped off a strong season that saw steady improvement from start to finish. With Larsen heading to State and several key runners returning next year, the program’s outlook remains bright.

Both the girls and boys squads will now turn their focus to supporting their teammates competing on Minnesota’s biggest stage.

The Minnesota State Cross Country Championships will be held Saturday, November 1, at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, where Larsen and the Chisago Lakes girls team will look to continue their remarkable seasons.

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