SECOND MEET, SECOND SWEEP

Raiders win both CC team titles at Mosinee

Transitioning from the ups and downs of Timm’s Hill on Thursday to the flat Nine Mile Recreation Course, the Medford Raiders got faster Tuesday and made a nice opening statement to most of their Great Northern Conference rivals by sweeping the team titles at the Mosinee Invitational.

The girls weren’t challenged for the second meet in a row, putting all five scorers among the top eight finishers and their top seven among the first 13 finishers in the 89-runner field. The boys, for the second straight meet, did just enough to get the win, outscoring Rhinelander 47-52 and putting their top six runners among the top 17 finishers.

“Each individual runner today ran great and all are improving each week,” head coach Kevin Wellman said. “What the team is doing is the really exciting part. By working together they are able to achieve so much. It is a pleasure to be a part of this great group of athletes.”

After beating Ladysmith by four at Timm’s Hill, the boys got another challenge from the Hodags, who put their top four runners in the top 10 in Tuesday’s field of 56 runners. The Hodags’ fifth man was 23rd, however, giving Medford the opportunity to slam the door shut.

Joe Sullivan led wire to wire and finished in 16:19.1. His second win of 2021 came by a margin of 39.3 seconds over Sam Gremban of Northland Pines. Lakeland’s Owen Clark was third at 17:38.5.

Raider Tanner Hraby settled into the sixth position at 18:20.6. Logan Gubser was 11th at 19:44.2, Stephen Hraby was 14th at 20:32.8, Nick Steliga was 16th in 20:38.6 and Josh Clark was 17th at 20:49.5, giving Rhinelander and the rest of the teams no chance at the team title. Medford’s seventh man, Lucas Borman, placed 48th in 26:23.2, about 34 seconds faster than Thursday.

The top five teams all came from the Great Northern Conference. Northland Pines was third with 66 points, Lakeland was fourth with 86 points and Mosinee had 114. Spencer (159), Edgar (196), Adams-Friendship (incomplete) and GNC squad Antigo (incomplete) rounded out the field.

“The boys team, from top to bottom, ran a great race and every single runner was able to improve on his time over last week’s race,” Wellman said.

Medford totaled just 26 points to beat GNC rivals Lakeland (75), Mosinee (77), Rhinelander (102) and Northland Pines (119) in the girls race.

While Northland Pines star Nora Gremban had no trouble winning the race (18:56.1), there were plenty of red uniforms behind her. Meredith Richter, fresh off her Timm’s Hill win, as second in 20:49.2, 10.5 seconds ahead of Edgar’s Morgan Schnelle. Raiders Bryn Fronk (21:20.9) and Jennifer Kahn (21:34.1) were fourth and fifth.

After Lakeland’s Grace Kern was the sixth finisher at 21:43.9, Raiders Brooke Rudolph (22:03.1) and Alexis Fleegel (22:10.2) closed Medford’s scoring. Ella Daniels just missed the top 10, taking 11th in 22:26.9, while freshman Ella Dassow was 13th in 22:46.8.

“They ran great,” Wellman said of the girls. “The top seven ladies all run Runners dominate

23 minutes. The ladies team once again has quality and quantity on tap for the season.”

Senior Tyra Wicke added a 34th-place time of 25:02.9 for Medford. Kylie Potvin was 48th in 27:06.6, Joselyn Torres came in 52nd at 27:20.2, Natasha Butt was 60th in 28:51.1 and Lydia Way was 80th in 32.55.

Edgar placed sixth in the team standings with 135 points, followed by Antigo (198), Spencer (228) and Adams-Friendship (incomplete).

Tomahawk, who won last year’s boys championship, was the only GNC team not at Tuesday’s meet.

Medford will return to competition Tuesday in the Marshfield Invitational, which will be held at Wildwood Park. Two days later on Sept. 9, Medford will attend the Ted Voigt Invitational at Lakeland, who will also host the GNC championships on Oct. 16.