Hawks defend home course in win; Medford girls start strong

TIMM’S HILL CC INVITATIONAL

First impressions were made for the 2023 cross country season at Timm’s Hill Thursday, many of which were probably expected like Medford’s girls team is still very deep, Raider Meredith Richter is still very good and the hilly course still humbles its fair share of runners to start a season.

The most surprising first impression came from the home team, the Prentice-Rib Lake Hawks, whose improved veterans and strong newcomers combined to produce a team victory in the boys meet, ahead of defending Marawood Conference champion Phillips and a usuallystrong Division 2 team from Medford.

The Hawks put all five of their scorers among the top 15 runners in a field of 59 finishers and had a pack of four runners in spots 11-15 to clinch it, including two freshmen.

“I knew we had a chance,” junior Jack Regier said. “We’ve all been running really well and working hard for it.”

“I did not expect to win, but I knew if we did it as a team, we could,” sophomore Kaleb Scott said. “Surprising, but not surprising.”

Scott led the Hawks with a fifth-place time of 18:52. He was 27 seconds behind Medford’s two-time state qualifier Tanner Hraby, who started his senior year at 18:25. Ladysmith’s Gavin Stewart pulled ahead early and pulled away late to win the race in 17:09, while Gavin Esterholm (17:53) and Maverick Hoogland (18:05) of Phillips were second and third.

The top 10 places were dominated by the individual leaders from the teams present. The team aspect kicked in with the next wave. Regier was 11th in 20:01 as he outkicked his freshman brother Henry, who came in at 20:06. Freshman Hagan Isaacson was 13th in 20:40 and, after Medford senior Logan Gubser got to the finish line in 20:49, Hawk junior Elijah Scott finished it off for his team with a 15th-place time of 20:51.

Prentice-Rib Lake’s team score was 43, followed by Phillips (55), Medford (65), Athens (82) and Thorp (120). Ladysmith and Flambeau were incomplete.

“For me, it means a lot because last year was a lot of individual focus,” Scott said. “This year one of my main goals was, no matter what we do, I wanted it to be as a team. First meet, one of the hardest meets, we come together and we win. Solid. It’s crazy.”

Being able to practice on the course during the first week and a half of the season, the Hawks felt, was an advantage. All runners at all levels got a break when the hot, humid mid-week weather stayed about 25 miles to the south Thursday thanks to a front that settled in the afternoon between Medford and Ogema.

“It’s big. We know the course so well,” Jack Regier said.

“Our bodies are used to it now,” Scott said. “We know when the hill is. We know at certain points that if I’m not pushing it, I’m going to lose it. It’s an advantage, nonetheless, it’s not easy. Still not easy.”

Medford is a team anxious to see who steps up to fill key spots as the season progresses. On Thursday, after Hraby and Gubser, junior Brandon Curtis showed the improvement he had been displaying in practice by taking the Raiders’ third spot. He was 18th in 21:04, three seconds and one spot ahead of senior Nick Steliga. Freshman Peyton Ried was the fifth scorer, taking 23rd in 21:40.

Returning sophomore Evan Pagel was 40th in 23:49, Nevyn Gripentrog was 43rd in 24:31, Logan Langdon was 46th in 25:16, Cash Carbaugh was 49th in 25:19 and sophomore Cullen Jones was 58th in 27:43.

Sophomore Eliah Harding was the Hawks’ sixth finisher, taking 17th in 21:03, a time that was 2:43 faster than last year’s Timm’s Hill meet. Heston Hueckman was 22nd in 21:38, freshmen Jeremy Wiitala (22:07), Hardy Hueckman (22:34) and Seamus Highfill (22:37) were 26th, 30th and 31st and sophomore Evan Lord was 32nd in 22:38.

“This freshman group came off an almost- undefeated season last year,” Scott said. “I can’t wait to see what happens by the middle of the season when we’re all set in fully.”

Rounding the Hawks’ first-meet performances were Aidan Hause, 36th in 23:22; Jackson Schutt, 37th in 23:31; Connor Highfill, 39th in 23:44; Matthew Schmidt, 41st in 23:50; Riley Johnson, 50th in 25:38; Nick Nikkila, 51st in 25:45, and Korbin Thums, 53rd in 25:53.

“I know I have to remain humble because I have to deal with Ladysmith, and we have to deal with a lot of good teams all season long,” Scott said. “But if we continue to do this, I told all of my guys, Timm’s Hill sucks, but it’s only going to get better. So with that in mind, I know we only have better things ahead.”

In the girls meet, Medford won the Timm’s Hill for the fourth straight time behind five top-12 finishes. Those finishes totaled 29 points, allowing Medford to beat runner-up Phillips by 16.

No other team was close. Ladysmith had 83 points, Thorp had 103 and Abbotsford had 113. Prentice-Rib Lake, Athens, Butternut and Flambeau were incomplete.

Not close would also describe the individual race. Medford senior Meredith Richter won her third straight Timm’s Hill title with a time of 20:48. She got ahead early and wound up with winning margin of 1:23 over Thorp’s Shaylie Zarza. Logger Leah Harper was third in 22:27, four seconds ahead of Raider sophomore Lindsay Kahn. Raider senior Ella Daniels was fifth in 22:51, a second ahead of Phillips’ Meredith Merlak.

“I felt fine,” Richter said. “It wasn’t a fantastic crazy good race, but it felt good to get the hard race out of the way. And, the team did really well. I like this meet because we always do really well as a team. That’s what excites me.”

“Lindsay and I really pushed off each other,” Daniels said. “I was like, ‘stay with Lindsay, stay with Lindsay.’ Her last mile was awesome. She got ahead of me. But we were right there together.

“I think I’m a lot better than I was last year and I feel like working a lot this summer really paid off,” Kahn said.

Kahn was 34 seconds ahead of her 2022 Timm’s Hill time and Daniels was 10 seconds faster.

“That’s what I was looking at was my last year time,” Daniels said. “I’m so proud of everyone on the team. Everyone give it their all and that’s all we can ask for.”

“A lot of people have improved,” Kahn said.

Medford sophomores Morgan Liske and Mallory Richter closed out the team scoring by taking 11th and 12th out of a field of 53 runners in times of 24:14 and 24:23. Liske was 1:35 faster than she was last year on the course. Ella Dassow (25:03), Willow Dassow (25:20) and Lillie Gleichauf (25:28) were 16th, 17th and 18th.

Senior Kylie Potvin started her final season with a 26th-place time of 27:18, just ahead of Esme Anderson (27:35). Kayla Daniels and Amy Espinoza were 29th and 30th in 28:11 and 28:27. Lexi Hraby was 34th in 29:32 in her cross country debut. Freshmen Abbie Marzinske (31:16) and Lauren Stark (32:15) were 43rd and 45th.

The Hawks started the race with two entrants and ended it with one. Their sophomore and returning state qualifier Kylie Orysen injured her ankle and did not finish. Senior Olivia Lopez, competing in the Timm’s Hill Invite for the first time, was a solid 22nd in 26:18.

Phillips swept the team titles in the middle school races. The girls race was won by Ashley Lawton of Flambeau in 12:53. Top-10 finishers included Molly Adams of Prentice-Rib Lake, third in 14:23; Taytem Brahmer of Medford, fifth in 14:25, and Melanie Richter of Medford, 10th in 14:46. Ben Hartwig of Athens won the boys race in 11:56. Medford’s Corbyn Radlinger was fifth in 12:57, while Hawks Mason Hause (13:00) and Dene Zuleger (13:04) were seventh and eighth.

Medford was at the Mosinee Invitational at 9-Mile Recreation Area Tuesday and will be at the Marshfield Invite Sept. 5. Prentice-Rib Lake at 9-Mile for the Marathon Invitational today, Thursday and is at Phillips Sept. 5.

Prentice-Rib Lake’s Kylie Orysen, who unfortunately was injured and didn’t finish Thursday’s race, is surrounded by Raiders Mallory Richter, Lindsay Kahn and Ella Daniels as they begin an uphill ascent.MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS

Medford’s Lindsay Kahn surges toward the finish line and takes fourth in Thursday’s girls race at Timm’s Hill.MATT FREY/THE STAR NEWS