SPORTS - Area boys enjoy faster times at state

SPORTS

By Casey Krautkramer

Two local boy cross country runners, Stratford junior Cree DeFoe and Marathon senior Jacob Smith, improved their running times at Saturday’s 111th WIAA boys cross country championships at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids compared to their last time competing at the state meet. DeFoe took 39th place out of 150 boys competing in Saturday’s Division 3 state championship race. Although the high temperature was a chilly 37 degrees on Saturday in Wisconsin Rapids, DeFoe says he runs better when it’s colder outside later in fall compared to when it’s hot and humid at the start of the cross country season. DeFoe ran the state course in 17 minutes, 22.4 seconds on Saturday which is an improvement on his 73rd finish in 18:12.7 at last year’s state championship race. This season he qualified for state as an individual for the second straight year.

Smith took 62nd place in 17:52.17 in Saturday’s state championship race. He improved his time running on the state course this year compared to when he first ran the state course as a sophomore

See STATE CROSS COUNTRY/ page 13

RUNNING HARD IN THE COLD- Stratford junior Cree DeFoe prefers running in the cold because he has faster times. His time in Saturday’s state race was an improvement compared to the time he ran in his inaugural state

meet last season. STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIELUNDERWOOD

FOCUSED ON MAKING IT TO THE FINISH LINE- Marathon senior Jacob Smith gave it his all during his final high school cross country race. He ended his career running in the Division 3 race at state. Smith ran a faster time on the state course Saturday than he did two years ago as a

member of Marathon’s boys state team. STAFF PHOTO/MATT FREY

STEADY RUNNING IN HER INAUGURAL STATE RACE- Marathon junior Shilo Blake was the top local girls runner competing in Saturday’s WIAA Division 3 state championship race. She took 29th place in her first state race and she will continue to have a bright future next season.

STAFF PHOTO/NATHANIELUNDERWOOD

ENJOYING HER FIRST STATE MEET- Stratford junior Kayla Casperson didn’t let the nerves rattle her while competing in her inaugural WIAA Division 3 state championship race on Saturday. She finished with a respectable 43rd place for her first state meet. STAFF PHOTO/MATT FREY State cross country

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in 2021 as a member of Marathon’s boys team that qualified for the state championships. Smith was Marathon’s top boy finisher that season in the state championship race by taking 65th place in 18:14.5..

DeFoe has a chance next season to qualify for the state meet for the third straight season. Smith, meanwhile, concludes his Marathon High School cross country running career by being awarded first team all-Marawood Conference for the past three years. He barely missed making first team allconference his freshman season.

Girls new to state meet

Area junior girl cross country runners Shilo Blake of Marathon and Kayla Casperson of Stratford competed in Saturday’s 50th WIAA girls cross country championships for the first time in their high school careers.

Blake took 29th place out of 152 runners competing in the Division 3 girls race in 20 minutes, 18.2 seconds. Casperson, meanwhile, took 41st place at state in 20:42.5. Both runners have one more season left to qualify for the state championships again.