Runners sweep past South Dakota teams

When Grace Drietz looked straight ahead at the finish line, she saw none other than her cousin, Josie Olsen of Deubrook Area.

Their mothers are sisters of the two runners who finished one-two at the Deuel Invite cross country meet at Clear Lake, SD Monday.

Olson won the meet in 19:14.58 with Drietz of the Canby-Minneota squad close behind at 19:45.56.

In the end they were both winners because Drietz’s girls squad won the meet with 10 points and four runners in the top 10.

McKenzie Ruether was fifth; Faith Traen eighth and Kameron King 10th.

SOMETIMES the pain can get intense in a cross country meet.

Canby-Minneota’s Zach Hansen has found a way to deal with it.

"I ignored the pain," said Hansen. The Canby-Minneota runner, instead of collapsing, "Got anry and rust past the pain," and at leas a couple of his competitiors, finished fifth overall in 18:03 and helped his team to the Deuel Invite title.

With Anthony Wollum in second at 17:30 next to champion Max Nielson of Sioux Valley, a pack of runners from Canby-Minneota kept blasting their way to the front until they occupied the second, fifth, sixth and 115h places. That was good enough to beat second place Sioux Valley, 23-34 in a meet where the top four places count.

"I was getting nervous, but I just ignored the pain and acted like they (opponents) were not there," said Hansen.

"I just kept telling myself, 'The pain's not going to take me down.'"

It didn't, but as Hansen finished, the pain was obvious on his face.

Jalyn Ufkin also ran a strong race, finishing sixth in 18:94,4 with Sean Dilley in 11th place overall at 18:11.