Barr wins XC sectional, three Hodags advance to state meet

It won’t be as a team, but Rhinelander will have representation at the WIAA state Division 2 boys’ cross country meet for the fourth time in five years. Meanwhile, the Hodag girls will have a runner in Wisconsin Rapids for the first time since 2017.

That’s how things shook out for the Hodags on Friday in a Division 2 sectional in Merrill. The Hodag boys finished third, with seven points too many to qualify as a team, but had two individual qualifiers with sectional champion Avrom Barr and seventh-place finisher Jackson Weinzatl. 

The Hodag girls finished eighth and sent junior Macy Myers to Wisconsin Rapids after she broke her own school record to finish fourth on the day.

Hodag coach M.J. Laggis called it a bittersweet day. The Hodag boys were projected second heading into the race as they sought to qualify as a team for the third time since 2021. However, there was excitement for the individuals who advanced.

“We’re very competitive as a group — coaches and athletes and all of us,” he said. “So you want to do it, and you’re disappointed when you don’t. But, you know, we’re very proud of the kids that qualified as well.”

Barr took over in the final mile on Friday, passing Menominee Nation’s Bryant Waupoosse III to seize control of the race. Barr went on to cross the line with a time of 16 minutes, 45.70 seconds, roughly seven seconds ahead of Waupoosse. 

“Going through the first mile, there was really good competition, and I was in second. Going back through to the two mile, I was still in second and then at the end of the race, I did my kick,” Barr said. “My goal and expectation today was to cross that finish line with nobody ahead of me, and I did just that. I had really good teammates this season. And though we didn’t make it to state as a team, you know, the team’s amazing. They’re awesome.”

“It’s been many, many years that someone’s gone on to win the sectional (for Rhinelander), and so that’s awesome,” Laggis said. “He did a fantastic job today, and he ran a really, really good race. We were all proud of him. He’s just a great kid with a ton of character, like all our boys have. And he did a great job.” 

While Barr was doing his part, the rest of the Hodag pack was locked in a tussle with Shawano. Rhinelander had an 8-21 edge through the first two runners, but the back end of Shawano’s pack ultimately decided the race. The Hawks were able to place all five of their scoring runners in the top 20, while Rhinelander’s third was Michael Brunette in 16th (18:13.30). Jonathan Campbell finished 21st (18:29.58) and Ayden Myers was 32nd (18:51.96). 

Lakeland also placed five in the top 20 to win the race with 45 points and Shawano edged Rhinelander, 70-77, for the final team qualifying spot. Grant Gremban finished 36th for Rhinelander (18:59.96) and Matthew Wood was 47th (19:32.46).

“It wasn’t a lack effort by our boys, but I’ll be honest, Shawano’s No. 1 and 2 ran faster than they’ve ran, and their No. 4 and 5 beat ours, and they beat us by seven points,” Laggis said. “We were right in there, but just couldn’t quite get it done today on the boys’ side and finished third.” 

    Rhinelander’s Jackson Weinzatl leads a pack fo runners during a WIAA Division 2 boys’ cross country sectional race in Merrill Friday, Oct. 24. Weinzatl finished seventh to qualify individually for the WIAA state meet. (Brett LaBore/Lakeland Times)
  

While denied a chance to run at Rapids as part of a team, Weinzatl did enough to qualify individually. He ran in the top 10 most of the way and came home seventh with a time of 17:31.10. He was the third of five individuals not on a qualifying team to advance — behind Barr and Waupoosse. The final two individual qualifiers finished within 3.5 seconds of Weinzatl. Antigo’s Shepard Snider was eighth and Northland Pines’ Ethan Miller finished ninth.

“I’m sad the boys aren’t going to come with. I wish we would have came as a team, but I’m glad that Barr and I were able to punch our tickets and get going ourselves. It’s been a season-long goal for us, a season-long goal as a team,” Weinzatl said. “I was really worried about that first corner, but once you cleared the first corner, the rest was coasting, taking the shortest line you can. I tried to stick with Ethan Miller and try to hang on to (Lakeland’s) Parker (McKinney) as long as I could.”

“There’s another guy, just a leader all year, just a blast to be around and always so positive to his teammates, Laggis said of Weinzatl. “We’re really proud of those two guys, and we’re proud of all the boys, for sure. But, you know, really happy for those two that they qualified.”

    Rhinelander’s Macy Myers leads a pack fo runners during a WIAA Division 2 girls’ cross country sectional race in Merrill Friday, Oct. 24. Myers finished fourth to qualify individually for the WIAA state meet. (Brett LaBore/Lakeland Times)
  

On the girls’ side, Macy Myers qualified after being the first runner outside the cutline at sectionals a season ago. She came home in a time of 19:29.98 — eclipsing her own 5K school record by roughly four tenths of a second — to finish fourth and clinch a spot in Rapids. She became the first Hodag girl to qualify for state since Alayna Franson.

“I’m feeling really grateful. I put in so much work over the season and in the summer, and I’m feeling very grateful to God that I was able to race today, and I was able to have a good race,” Myers said. “As I was going through the kick, the last 100 meters or whatever, I was thinking, ‘It’s not won until it’s won. You don’t get it until you get it.’ So, I was just thinking about that and giving it my all throughout the entire thing. When I saw that time, I was really happy about it.”

Myers turned it on in the back half of the race, working her way from outside the top five to fourth. A top-five finish proved to be necessary to qualify in a fast and deep sectional, as the top five finishers were all on teams that did not qualify for state. Tomahawk’s Charlee Lund finished fifth at 19:37.38 to snag the last individual qualifying spot with a time that was more than a minute faster than last year’s individual cutline at the sectional on the girls’ side. 

“That second mile, she just really laid it down,” Laggis said. “She just decided she wanted to do it. She just ran superior through the second mile to the end. I was really happy in that last in the last 400 (meters) or so, she just looked so strong. We’re just really proud of her. She’s a fantastic young lady, and she worked so hard, and she’s just a positive influence on everyone and really well deserved.”

Fellow junior Kara Monk came home 12th for Rhinelander with a personal-best time of 20:23.16. Though that time would have been fast enough to qualify last year, she missed the cut this year by seven places and roughly 44 seconds. 

“Kara Monk had a nice race today. And Kara is just a quality kid, too. Kara’s got something to shoot for next year now,” Laggis noted.

The top four runners for the Hodag girls all ran personal bests. Freshman Noelle Mayo finished 47th (22:39.48), junior Gabby Wanta was 53rd (22:58.78) and junior Morgan Cahee finished 80th (25:53.93).

“We ran a good race, you and I both know we’re a little inexperienced on the girls’ side yet, and we’re finding our way. I think overall, the girls had a really good experience today,” Laggis said.

The WIAA state cross country meet takes place this coming Saturday at the Ridges in Wisconsin Rapids. The boys’ Division 2 race will get underway at 12:35 p.m. and the girls’ D2 race will start at 2:25.

In the interest of full disclosure, the River News notes that the author of this story has a family member who is an athlete on the RHS cross country team.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].