Battling Hills and Mud, Kewaskum Cross Country Shines at Griak

The Kewaskum High School cross country teams traveled to the Twin Cities this past weekend to compete in the Roy Griak Invitational, one of the larger and more prestigious cross-country meets in the midwest. The event, held at the University of Minnesota’s Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, drew more than 4,000 runners, with four collegiate races and eight high school races filling the two-day event.
Known for its rolling hills and relentless terrain, the course tests athletes with few flat sections. This year’s competition was made even more challenging by rainfall the day before, leaving the ground soft and muddy and slowing conditions throughout the course.
Boys’ Team Results
The Kewaskum boys turned in a strong performance, finishing 14th out of 32 teams in their division. Despite the slick conditions and aggressive pace at the start, the team packed up well and held their own against a deep and competitive field. The boys’ times are as follows: Wyatt Luedtke – 18:56, Layton Dexter – 19:26, Carter Heimerman – 19:35, Zach Hein – 19:41, Leo Kohlwey – 19:42, Aaron Schmidt – 19:52, Elliot Schultz – 20:53.
Girls’ Team Results
The Kewaskum girls faced a challenging race against some of the top programs in the Midwest. Coach Bicknell noted, “Running well at this race requires good strength, endurance, and the mental toughness to keep pushing over the rolling terrain. The girls showed they were up to the challenge.” The girls’ times are as follows: Olivia Gerhartz – 21:35, Taylor Kulick – 22:56, Cailyn Beres – 24:23, Maya Weissenrieder – 24:26, Cedar Racer – 25:19, Ruby Gerhartz – 25:43, Olivia Dourn – 26:13.
Both Kewaskum squads walked away with experience and confidence knowing they had competed on one of the toughest courses in the Midwest. Their next race is Saturday, September 27, for the Lourdes Academy Invitational in Oshkosh.