Thursday, October 26 2023
The 111th running of the WIAA Boys Cross Country Championships and the 50th Annual Girls Cross Country Championship will take place Saturday, Oct. 28 at The Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids. The Fox River Classic Conference will be well represented in this year’s championships, sending six teams and multiple individuals to this year’s races. De Pere, Green Bay Preble, and Notre Dame Academy boys and girls teams all qualified for the WIAA State Cross Country Meet by finishing first or second in their respective sectional meets. Additionally in Division 1 Boys FRCC runners claimed four of the five extra qualifying spots and the FRCC also had three extra individual qualifiers in Division 1 Girls.
Notre Dame Academy boys and girls teams are making a return trip to the Division 2 State meet by both finishing in second place at the New London Sectional. Notre Dame is the defending champion on the boys side and they are making their 11th consecutive trip to the state meet (not including the covid year) as a team after having finished runner-up in 2018, 2019, and 2021. The Tritons will have some work to do if they want to finish near the top again even though three runners return from last year’s team. Last year’s runner-up, Lakeside Lutheran may be the odds on favorite with five runners from last year’s team returning. Sophomore Joseph Hunt will lead the Triton boys finishing second at the New London Sectional. The Notre Dame girls are coming off a third place finish from a year ago, and after finishing second at the sectional meet will also have some work to do if they want to claim a podium spot as a team. The Triton girls have been to a few state meets over the years and last won a state championship in 2014. Freshman Anna Miller leads the group of girls from Notre Dame Academy finishing 5th at the Sectional Meet.
In Division 1 the Green Bay Preble boys and girls teams, first place at the Manitowoc Sectional and the De Pere girls and boys, second place at the Manitowoc sectional are looking to make some waves at the State Meet. The Preble boys were Fox River Classic Conference Champs this year and are looking to improve on a 19th place finish at the 2021 State Meet when they last qualified as a team. The Preble boys best finish in a State Meet since the FRCC was formed was an eighth place finish in 2013.
The Green Bay Preble Girls, runner-up to Notre Dame Academy in this year’s FRCC meet, are looking to make a splash at this year’s State Meet after an 11 year absence. The De Pere girls have been making regular appearances in the State Cross Country meet since 2016 with their best finish being 9th in last year’s meet, they are hoping to improve on that place returning four runners from last year’s team. The De Pere boys last made an appearance in the state meet as a team in 2019, finishing 10th.
Grady Lenn of De Pere placed 7th in last year’s Division 1 State Cross Country meet as a freshman and will look to improve on that finish in this year’s meet. It should be a competitive race with four of the top seven runners from last year’s meet making a return trip, including the defending champion. Lenn placed first at the Manitowoc Sectional this year, followed by fellow sophomore Jacob Nuthals who will lead the Green Bay Preble contingent. On the girls side De Pere took the top two spots at the Manitowoc Sectional with sophomore Bella Heideman placing first and senior Hope Dragseth placing second. Dragseth was the top finisher for the Redbirds in last year’s state meet. Junior Melana Webber (this years FRCC Champion) will lead the Green Bay Preble team.
More detailed Information on the 2023 WIAA State Cross Country Meet can be found here:Â https://www.wiaawi.org/Sports/Fall/Boys-Cross-Country/Tournament
Race Times:
Boys
- Noon Division 3
- 12:35pm Division 2
- 1:10pm Division 1
Girls
- 1:45pm Division 3
- 2:25pm Division 2
- 3:05pm Division 1
2023 WIAA State Cross Country Meet – FRCC Teams and Participants
De Pere Girls – Bella Heideman 10, Hope Dragseth 12, Jessica Rolain 12, Katherine Pahl 11, Kassidy Hutjens 9, Addison Klubertanz 10, Sarah Dahlquist 11 De Pere Coaches – Chris Hendricks/Jackie Joseph
Green Bay Preble Girls – Melana Webber 11, Emma Dornbush 12, Allison Buraczewski 12, Gabrielle Haller 11, Sophia Smith 10, Hannah Smith 11, Camille Haller 9, Green Bay Preble Coaches – Kyle McMahon/David Haller
Notre Dame Girls – Anna Miller 9, Monika Stoik 10, Zita Lulloff 12, Paige Beining 12, Ella Capomaccio 12, Camille Broullire 12, Lauren Carlton 11 Notre Dame Coach – John Gard
De Pere Boys –Â Grady Lenn 10, Chase Deshazer 10, Casey Trousil 12, Noah Zhang 10, Malachi Oslund 12, Ryan Bintz 11, Enoch Thielhelm 12 De Pere Coaches – Chris Hendricks/Jackie Joseph
Green Bay Preble Boys – Jacob Nuthals 10, Jesus Zavala 12, Killian Arlt 11, Marshall Willems 10, Benjamin Piontek 11, Brayden Michaels 10, Louis Jean Baptiste 10 Green Bay Preble Coaches – Kyle McMahon/David Haller
Notre Dame Boys – Joseph Hunt 10, Bryce Hawley 12, Marshall Pahl 9, Ethan Hejny 12, Braedon Tilot 12, Gabriel Stoik 10, Nicholas Fogarty 9 Notre Dame Coach – John Gard
Division 1 Individual Qualifiers – Boys
Ryan Jadin 11 Ashwaubenon – Coach Cal Kromm
Caleb Jatczak 12 Manitowoc Lincoln – Coach Michael Bubolz
Bennett Daul 10 Bay Port – Coach Andrew Nuthals
Ryan Lang 11 Sheboygan North – Coach Tyler BiederwolfÂ
Division 1 Individual Qualifiers – Girls
Natalie Portmann 9 Manitowoc Lincoln – Coach Michael Bubolz
Kendall Schmitz 9 Manitowoc Lincoln – Coach Michael Bubolz
Olivia Stedl 11 Pulaski – Coach Kim Noe
Looking for more information when it comes to FRCC Cross Country History? Go to frccathletics.com and check out our history. Site is still under construction, but there is a lot there.
