The Esko boys and girls swept the titles for a second straight year -- and third time in four years -- at the Section 7A high school cross country meet Friday at Cloquet Country Club.
Crosby-Ironton was runner-up in both divisions. The meet was postponed one day because of wet grounds. The Esko girls had three of the top four finishers, led by individual champion sophomore Marissa Shady in 14 minutes, 46.4 seconds for 4,000 meters. Eighth-grade teammate Kailee Kiminski was second in 15:33.7, and Esko ninth-grader Erika Shady was fourth in 15:43.6. Defending champion Megan West, a Mesabi East sophomore, was third in 15:39.8. Marissa Shady was fifth a year ago.
Proctor sophomore Matt Welch moved up two spots from a year ago to claim the boys 5,000-meter title in 16:19.3, followed closely by defending champion Kieran Scannell, a Cook County-Two Harbors sophomore, less than 1 second back in 16:20.2. Esko junior Jackson Lindquist was third in 16:33.5.
The top two teams and top 10 individuals advance to the Minnesota Class A meet Nov. 6 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn.
The Section 7A coaches of the year were Roger Twigg of Crosby-Ironton for the boys and Jerry Zimny of Esko for the girls. Esko's Tim Lindquist was named the assistant cross country coach of the year.
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Girls tennis
Virginia duo wins
doubles consolation
Virginia senior Lexi Gunderson and junior Katie Kingston teamed to win the Minnesota Class A high school girls tennis doubles consolation title Friday at the Reed-Sweatt Family Tennis Center in Minneapolis.
Gunderson and Kingston were defeated in the championship semifinals by eventual-champions Brittany Alexander and Margaret Pearson of Rochester Lourdes 6-0, 6-0. The Virginia pair beat Waseca's Lexi Ulfers and Hannah Flor in the third-place match 7-6 (7-3), 7-5.
In Class AA singles, Duluth East senior Annie Mahoney lost in the consolation finals to eventual consolation champion Meghana Vasireddy of Edina 6-0, 6-0 at the Baseline Tennis Center in Minneapolis.
