Hodag harriers have solid races at state

WISCONSIN RAPIDS — The three members of the Rhinelander High School cross country team who qualified for the WIAA state meet all had strong performances to end their season on Saturday.

Both Avrom Barr and Jackson Weinzatl improved on their showings at state one year ago — finishing 41st and 83rd, respectively, in the Division 2 boys’ race at The Ridges. Macy Myers, in her state meet debut, broke the 20-minute barrier and finished 32nd overall. 

All three said afterward that they were pleased with their races. 

“I’m very, very happy about that. I was not 100% sure that I would cross the finish line under 20 (minutes), but I’m really glad I got a sub 20 on this course,” said Myers, who crossed the line in 19 minutes, 59.1 seconds as Rhinelander’s first state qualifier on the girls’ side since Alayna Franson in 2017. “That means a lot, because I didn’t do what I wanted to do at conference — and this is a pretty similar course to that — so I feel like I made it up to myself today.”

    Rhinelander’s Avrom Barr runs toward the finish line of the WIAA Division 2 state boys’ cross country race in Wisconsin Rapids Saturday, Nov. 1. Barr finished 41st in the race with a time of 17 minutes, 0.6 seconds. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

“I’m pretty happy with it. I think I did come in to the race today, maybe a little bit dehydrated and didn’t race my best, but I got something to prove next year,” said Barr, who improved three spots and about three seconds from last year as he finished at 17:00.6. “It felt pretty good. I didn’t want to get out too fast, so I wouldn’t burn and die, and I did just that, didn’t go out super fast and then just tried to maintain to the two (mile) and then just give it everything I got.”

Weinzatl made a significant jump in both time and place on Saturday as he finished at 17:48.1. He finished 114th last year with a time of 18:17.0.

    Rhinelander’s Jackson Weinzatl (167) races Lakeland’s Parker McKinney (696), Osceola’s Everett Sauve (732) and Richland Center-Ithaca’s Robert Budden (734) near the two-mile mark of the WIAA Division 2 state boys’ cross country race in Wisconsin Rapids Saturday, Nov. 1. Weinzatl finished 83rd with a time of 17 minutes, 48.1 seconds. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

“I’m really glad I was kind of where I was aiming to be — somewhere around the 80s,” he said. “I think I was (projected) outside the top 100, but I’m really happy with how it went, and I’m really happy about my position and time.”

Myers ran a patient race on the girls’ side. She sat 47th after taking the opening mile in 6:10.2. She gained eight spots in the second mile and seven more in the closing mile-plus.

“My strategy for this race today was to go out a little bit slower because I know a lot of people, you know at state, they go out super fast,” she said. “So I decided to go out a little bit slower. I think that really helped, because then I was able to have enough energy to pass people in the second and third mile.”

“I was really proud of the run she had today,” coach M.J. Laggis said. “She went 19:59, really had a good race. She finished 32nd. And I think she just is a true example of a girl that just continues (to work). The miles pay off her.

“For not running here before, there was zero panic in her. She just settled in where she wanted to be, and then she just slowly started picking girls off. I thought, in particular at the end, she just had nice tempo, she carried the hills at the end pretty well. I didn’t see the finish, but she carried some hills on the back stretch pretty well. I got back there and saw her, and I thought she looked really strong.”

    Rhinelander’s Avrom Barr, left, and Jackson Weinzatl warm up prior to the WIAA Division 2 state boys’ cross country race in Wisconsin Rapids Saturday, Nov. 1. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

Both Barr and Weinzatl had Great Northern Conference foes to battle through the duration of the race. As they have the past several weeks, Barr and Lakeland’s Charlie Ernst were in lockstep through the first two miles, posting nearly identical times at the first two checkpoints. Barr inched ahead over the final third of the race, picking up four spots overall, and got to the line 3.2 seconds ahead of Ernst, who came home 43rd. Barr — the reigning conference and sectional champion — was the highest-placing GNC runner in the field. 

“Amazing competition, Charlie from Lakeland and hope see him next year. And I’m just beyond blessed to be racing today,” Barr said.

Weinzatl was locked in battle with Lakeland’s Parker McKinney much of the way. McKinney was slightly ahead at the mile. Weinzatl moved in front by the two-mile mark and held McKinney off at the line by 0.8 seconds. 

“It was nice to get him back at the end, kind of as a conference rival,” Weinzatl said.

Weinzatl was also within sight of Lakeland’s No. 2 runner, Brayden Kelly (76th), and got in ahead of Lakeland’s Barrett Eggen (89th) and Northland Pines’ Ethan Miller (97th).

“I found myself with Ethan and Parker again from the conference,” he said. “That was nice to run with. I ran with them the entire race. It’s kind of how it was that, like at conference or a sectional just kind of ran with them and whatever came after that last mile is whatever happened.”

Barr’s time of 17:00.6 was the fastest posted by a Hodag runner at state since 2013 when Laggis took over the program — eclipsing the mark of 17:01.9 set by Laggis’ son, Cal, when he finished 19th in 2021. 

“It’s nice to talk a little bit just about Avrom, because the thing that jumps out at me about him is nothing’s free. His work ethic, he earns it,” coach Laggis said. “He earns it all summer long, he earns it all year round with that work ethic of his. He just doesn’t quit. The way that he treats teammates, the adversity that he’s overcome in his life, and he’s just been, truly, one of those people that when the day is done, you feel kind of lucky that you’re able to be around him and coach him, and he’s always so gracious and so thankful to everyone and everything. Really admirable.”

Weinzatl’s time was the sixth-fastest for a Hodag runner at state since 2018 and also earned him a bit of family bragging rights. He said he bettered the time his father, Craig, posted at state in his high school running days. 

“He’s now the fastest in his family. He broke his dad’s high school record apparently today,” coach Laggis said. “He was joking with his dad about that. And as proud as we are of him as a runner, I’m more proud of his character. I think he’s really, truly a leader and I’m excited to see what he does next year.”

    Rhinelander’s Macy Myers battles Two Rivers’ Allie Gallagher near the two-mile mark of the WIAA Division 2 state girls’ cross country race in Wisconsin Rapids Saturday, Nov. 1. Myers finished 32nd with a time of 19 minutes, 59.1 seconds. (Jeremy Mayo/River News)
  

All three of Rhinelander’s state participants on Saturday were juniors, and all three already have an eye toward next year. For Barr and Weinzatl, not only is it about making it back next year as seniors, its about trying to get the team back to state after qualifying last year and narrowly missing this year. 

“It’s really about grinding it out,” Weinzatl said. “Summer miles play a big role. Looking at Avrom and looking at myself, summer miles make a huge difference during the season, and it’s all about keeping your mental up, having the team spirit be high. We just got to out grind — out grind Lakeland, out grind Pines and out grind everybody else that comes back — worry about us and not worry about let numbers get to our head.”

For Myers, who far exceeded her own expectations prior to the meet, she hopes the momentum from state will carry through into the spring after qualifying for the WIAA state track meet individually in the pole vault and on two relays last season. 

“Going to state cross country has made me really confident for the track season,” she said. “I’m really excited to see what my 800 time and 4x400 time will be after I’ve gotten a lot better with the 5K, so that’s really exciting for me.”

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].