Grand Rapids made a triumphant return to Section 7AA on Thursday by winning the girls team championship at Elk River (Minn.) Country Club.
The Thunderhawks had five runners in the top 13, led by ninth-grader Morgan Illikainen, sixth in 15 minutes, 42.5 seconds for 4,000 meters. Grand Rapids, recently a Section 8AA participant, is making its first state-meet trip since 2002.
Two-time defending champion Duluth East placed fifth to end a state-record streak of 16 straight trips to the Minnesota Class AA finals, which began in 1991 with eighth-graders Amy Hill and Kara Wheeler.
Elk River sophomore Emma Bates won the girls race in 15:02.3 and St. Francis ninth-grader Samantha Rivard was second in 15:33.4.
The Duluth East boys finished second to Forest Lake to qualify for the state meet for the ninth time in 10 years.
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Forest Lake junior Zach Waldoch was the individual winner in 16:52.6 for 5,000 meters, and East senior Scott Behling was second in 16:57.4.
The top two teams and top 10 individuals advanced to the Class AA state meet Nov. 3 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn.
Other Northland individual qualifiers are eighth-grader Amy Campbell (third) and senior Becca Sorenson (fourth) both of Cloquet; Hibbing sophomore Tatum Garrity (seventh); and Grand Rapids sophomore Kahla Erickson (10th) among girls; and junior Pat Richie (fourth) and senior Talon Erickson (sixth), both of Grand Rapids; Hibbing senior Reilly Dougherty (fifth); and East junior Reuben Verdoljak, (eighth) among boys.
Duluth Denfeld senior Ashley Polson, a three-time state-meet qualifier, was in the girls top 10 with about 600 meters remaining when she collapsed and didn't finish. She was treated and released at a local hospital, Denfeld coach Gary Lepisto said.
