Prep Notebook: Northland runner's helpful hand results in disqualification; watch an amazing football catch

Kailee Kiminski just wanted to help.
Nearing the end of her fifth Class A state cross country meet Saturday in Northfield, Minn., the Esko senior saw one runner assisting another. Tierney Winter, a junior from Janesville, Minn., had stopped to help Jackson County Central freshman Jessica Christoffer reach the finish line. With Winter bracing one of Christoffer’s arms, Kiminski grabbed the other.
All three finished together. And all three were promptly disqualified.
Meet rules, as stipulated by the National Federation of State High School Associations, prohibit runners from offering or receiving assistance during a race.
Kiminski didn’t know of the rule before Saturday. She says it likely wouldn’t have changed her reaction.
Christoffer had fallen with about 50 meters remaining in the race, according to multiple reports. Afterward, she expressed her gratitude to Kiminski and Winter.
“I wouldn’t change it at all,” Kiminski said. “I just wanted to go help her - that’s all that mattered to me.”
It was a compassionate response from Winter and Kiminski, one of the Northland’s best runners who entered Saturday’s race with lofty goals a year after finishing eighth in 15 minutes, 11.1 seconds.
But it’s one that many officials would rather never see.
“My concern is that this is going viral and kids will start to copy it,” said Eve Graves of Duluth, who officiated her 19th state meet Saturday.
It indeed has gone viral, with regional and national media outlets replaying video from the race shot by KEYC-TV of Mankato, Minn. Facebook threads have drawn hundreds and even thousands of comments.
Graves alluded to other incidents of runners helping others across the finish line. She understands the inclination to offer assistance to someone in need, especially in a close-knit community like cross country. But, aside from being against the rules, Graves also says it’s dangerous.
Who knows what kind of condition a runner is in, Graves said. She added that the best response would be to sit with a fallen runner and comfort them until medical personnel or a race official arrives.
Kiminski wasn’t thinking about any of that Saturday as she closed out a rough run. She was in the top 10 for much of the race, but with a little more than a half-mile remaining, her legs cramped up.
Still, she said it wasn’t a total loss.
“I was a little disappointed in myself, but I finished and I ended up helping another person, so I’m happy about it,” Kiminski said. “It was definitely a memorable race.”
Incidentally, it wasn’t the first time Kiminski and Winter crossed paths. While Kiminski was eighth at the 2013 state meet, Winter was seventh.
Notes

•  District football schedules for 2015 are starting to be finalized, and members of the 26-team Northeast District will have some familiar - and not so familiar - opponents. Highlights include Hermantown and Moose Lake-Willow River continuing to square off. The teams have played two of the best games in the area the past two seasons. Also, while Duluth Denfeld’s schedule will look drastically different than it has the past few years, the Hunters again are slated to play Duluth East. Click here to see schedules for each of the local teams in the Northeast District.

•  Also available at the top of this page is video of a remarkable catch made during Saturday’s Superior-Ashwaubenon playoff football game. Ashwaubenon receiver Sam Wisneski was defended by Superior’s Austin Arnovich, who was all over Wisneski on a deep pass. Wisneski blindly reached around Arnovich and pinned the ball to the defender’s back before corralling it with one hand and racing for a touchdown. The Spartans won the game to advance to this week’s Division 2 quarterfinals.