photo by Bryce Gaudian/for the Tribune

Albert Lea’s Chrissy Monson, left, battles with Lakeville North’s Taylor Perkins, right, with 500 meters left in the Section 1AA girls’ race. Monson placed second for the second consecutive year and will return to the state meet.

Monson earns return trip to state cross country meet

Published Thursday, October 29, 2009

Despite the mud and the rain Albert Lea’s Chrissy Monson came out looking stunning at the Section 1AA cross country meet Thursday at Brooktree Golf Course in Owatonna.

Monson earned a return trip to the state meet with a second-place finish for the second straight year at the section meet. Monson battled Lakeville North’s Taylor Perkins for first place the entire race and was beaten by a little more than a second.

“It was great competition and Chrissy performed to the best of her abilities,” said Tigers head coach Jim Haney. “At state she will face the great runners in the state and I have a very good feeling that Chrissy will be in the thick of the front of the race.”

Monson ran the 4-kilometer race in a time of 15 minutes, 21.8 seconds and Perkins finished with a time of 15:20.4.

The state meet is next Saturday at St. Olaf College in Northfield. Last season Monson finished 28th in her first state meet.

The Albert Lea girls’ team finished 11th as a team with 305 points, accomplishing the team goal of defeating three teams. Lakeville South won the meet with a team score of 37 and had four runners place in the top 10.

Rachel Kenis placed 57th with a time of 17:41.5, Ashley Tewes was 75th with a time of 18:16.6, Lauren Klick 84th with a time of 18:48.6 and Carol Lein placed 87th with a time of 18:51.3.

The Tiger boys placed 14th with a score of 335. Lakeville North won the meet with 60 points, edging out Owatonna by 11 points.

Steve Kreun placed 28th to lead Albert Lea, finishing in a time of 18:06.9 in the 5-kilometer race.

Blair Bonnerup took 71st place with a time of 19:16.5 while Luc Malimanek was 73rd with a time of 19:19, Andy Christian 79th with a time of 19:34.5 and Joe Daniels 84th with a time of 19:44.3.

Haney said the future looks bright for the cross country teams as each squad loses just one senior.

“There is a bright future for the cross country teams as I have many young members looking to move up to the varsity level,” Haney said.

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