Game of the Week: Simley Cross Country Team Competes in Section 3AA Championships

Simley Boys Cross Country

CHEAT SHEET
SITE: Section 3AA Tournament at the University of Minnesota's Les Bolstad Golf Course
TIME: 2:15 p.m. on Wednesday

ON THE LINE
The Spartans finished ninth in the Classic Suburban Conference championships last week at the St Croix Bluffs Regional Park in Hastings. The Spartans are a senior-dominated team; four of their top seven finishers in the conference meet were seniors. The first ten individuals and first two teams qualify for the state championships on Nov. 6.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Max Wellens—Simley
Wellens won the Classic Suburban Conference championship last week with a time of 16:41.8, 17.7 seconds ahead of the second place finisher. He finished third last season. Wellens won the Simley Invitational (3,200 meters) with a time of 10.29 two weeks ago and was third in the Classic Suburban Conference Preview last month. He set a personal record at the Mayo Invite with a time of 16:20.40, where he finished fifth. Wellens is familiar with the course after he ran a 16:52.00 in the 5,000-meter at Roy Griak Invitational, placing sixth. He is hoping to qualify for state after finishing 14th in the 2010 Section 3AA Tournament.

Christian Goettsch—Simley
The senior finished 42nd in the Classic Suburban Conference championship last week with a time of 18:57.7. He was 13th in the Simley Invitational with a time of 11.58 two weeks ago. Goettsch set a personal record at the Mayo Invite with a time of 18:19.60, where he placed 76th. He is a long-time runner who has made steady improvement throughout his career.

Connor Phares—Simley
The senior finished 62nd in the Classic Suburban Conference championship last week with a time of 21:14.6. Phares has been on the cross country team since his freshman year. The captain battled bronchitis last season to post a career best at the Section 3AA Championships.