Sports
Northfield Cross Country Teams Head to Owatonna for Section Preview
The teams run Thursday on the same course where the post season meet will be held in three weeks.
The Northfield will make the trip to Owatonna on Thursday, and getting to run against good competition isn't the only—or even the best—reason for the journey.
BOYS AND GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
at Owatonna Invitational
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CHEAT SHEET
SITE: Brooktree Golf Course, Owatonna
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TIME: 5 p.m. (boys) and 5:30 p.m. (girls)
RADIO: N/A
ON THE LINE
While good competition is nice anywhere—all of the Big 9 teams in Section 1AA will be there Thursday, along with Rosemount, Hastings and Zumbrota-Mazeppa—the Owatonna Invite gives teams a chance to run on the same course where the 16-team Section 1AA meet will be held three weeks later.
FOR THE BOYS …
Northfield ran into a handful of those same teams in Burnsville, where Owatonna was first, Century was fourth and Albert Lea was ninth, one spot behind Northfield. Senior Sam Fox was the first Raiders runner across the line, taking 19th in 17:47.8. The Raiders' other six varsity runners were all underclassmen, giving the team hope for a bright future.
FOR THE GIRLS …
Northfield was also eighth in the girls race last Thursday, finishing behind Owatonna (second) and Albert Lea (fifth), but just ahead of Century (ninth). The Raiders' top three finishers in that one were all underclassmen: Sophomore Kaia Bierman was sixth, junior Maria Olson was 17th and seventh-grader Marissa Thornton was 26th. If the Raiders can land three runners in the top 25 on Thursday, they'll come home happy.