SJP Cross Country Runners Compete at State Meet

The boys’ and girls’ cross country team ended the season on a rainy and cold day at the State Cross Country Meet on Saturday, November 5 at St. Olaf College.

Representing the girls’ team was Section 5A third place runner Olivia Pauly ’24. She placed 30th overall at the state meet, improving her 2021 placement of 35 and improving her time by nearly 30 seconds and earned All State Academic honors as well.

The boys’ team was represented by the Section 5A first place boys team consisting of: Zach Meyer ’24, Nick Hansen ’24, Ben Suo ’25, Will Vix ’26, Po-Huan Lu ’24, Aaron Ruesink ’24 and Brett Penk ’25 as well as alternates Owen Schleper ’24 and Patrick Duffy ’24. The boys’ team placed 10th overall at the state meet.

Individually Zach Meyer ’24 placed 16th, Nick Hansen ’24 placed 19th, Ben Suo ’25 placed 81st, at 107th was Will Vix ’26, 149th was Po-Huan Lu ’24, 153rd was Aaron Ruesink ’24, and Brett Penk was 157th!

All seven earned All State Academic Honors and Zach Meyer ’24 and Nick Hansen ’24 earned ALL STATE honors for their top 25 placement! We are so proud of their accomplishments. They have worked tremendously hard, set very high goals, and have exceeded all expectations! They are truly a fantastic group of young people!

Please congratulate our cross country teams on a truly fantastic season. This is the first time since 1984 that the boys’ have gone to the state meet as a team, when Coach Kurt Salzl ’87 was a freshman on the team! This was Olivia Pauly’s second trip to the state cross country meet qualifying as an individual. This was the second trip for Zach Meyer and Nick Hansen, who also qualified as individuals last year.