Chrissy Monson has been nothing short of impressive this season for the Albert Lea girls’ cross country team and her performance Thursday at the Ev Berg cross country meet at Brooktree Golf Course in Owatonna was among her finest.

Monson, a freshman, won her fifth meet of the season with a time of 14 minutes, 51.4 seconds, and finished 22 seconds ahead of Dover-Eyota’s Ahna Buntrock, the second-ranked runner in Class A, in a race Monson led from start to finish.

“Chrissy has earned every first place as she has been the racer that the other girls are shooting for,” said Tigers head coach Jim Haney. “She has handled the pressure well and seems to enjoy the success she is having.”

Albert Lea as a team finished 12th overall with 301 points. Rosemount won the team meet with 57 points and Mayo was second with 70.

Following Monson for the girls was Rachel Kenis, who finished 51st overall with a time of 17:09.8. Ashley Tewes came in 71st place with a time of 17:53.7 while Lauren Klick was 87th with a time of 18:33 and Annabelle Randall was 91st with a time of 18:49.4. Sam Stanley finished one spot back of Randall and had a time of 18:49.7 in the 4-kilometer race.

Junior Steve Kruen helped lead the boys’ team to a 13th place finish with his 30th place showing and time of 17:42.2 in the 5-kilometer race.

Eighth-grader Blair Bonnerup was Albert Lea’s second top runner with a 55th place finish and time of 18:24.4 while Joe Daniels was 63rd with a time of 18:43 and Luc Malimanek was 77th with a time of 19:12.5. Just behind Malimanek was Eli Malimanek in 78th place and a time of 19:13 and one spot back of him was Brian Reindl with a time of 19:14.4.

“The coaching staff has asked a great deal of Steve and he has come through with flying colors,” Haney said. “The rest of the boys decreased times, but know that they still have work to do in the next three weeks to improve as individuals as well as a team.”