With just two 5K races under her belt, no one was looking for Superior’s Tayler McMeekin to win the Conway Classic Thursday, Sept. 9, at Nemadji Golf Course in Superior.
The Spartans freshman jumped out to an early lead and won the race in 20 minutes, 18.9 seconds, nearly 23 seconds ahead of second-place Adeline Bauer of Ashland.
“When I started I was just going to stay with the girl that was up front and try to kick to the finish,” McMeekin said. “But then it was just not my speed so I went ahead of her and then I just kept the pace I was comfortable with.”
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McMeekin said she just started running last year at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and came out for cross country this fall. She ran her first race in Ashland two weeks ago and finished second overall.
On the boys side, Cromwell-Wright junior Noah Foster won the boys race in 16:34.1, almost eight seconds ahead of Miles Fischer of Cloquet.
It was the second time this season Foster and Fischer have dueled in a race. Two weeks ago at the Chub Lake Invitational in Carlton, Fischer edged Foster to take the win, but Foster took a lesson from the race.
“I knew the way he beat me last time was he pulled away from mid-race,” Foster said. “I knew I had to stay with him the whole race and I thought I did that well.”
Fischer said he was happy with his time, a personal best, and said he and Foster are still getting used to running at big meets with more than three teams competing.
“I think we’re both relearning after such a weird season last year,” Fischer said. “I think it’s just learning how to race with more people, having more teams with the energy and nerves of a big meet.”
BOYS SOCCER
Duluth Denfeld 5, Grand Rapids 1
Joe Eklund scored four of the Hunters' five goals, with three of the four coming in the second half.
Skyler Fossum had a goal and two assists for Denfeld, which allowed just five shots on goal. One of those was a penalty kick the Thunderhawks' Ian Salmela scored on.
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Cloquet-Esko-Carlton 3, Hermantown 0
Jordan Aultman scored twice for the Lumberjacks, netting goals in the in the 22nd minute and opening minute of the second half.
Ryan Tomsche also scored on a penalty kick for CEC.
GIRLS SOCCER
Proctor 3, Duluth Denfeld 2
Jaden Ellefson scored a pair of second-half goals for the Rails to complete a come-from-behind win.
Kelsey Tangen got Proctor on the board in the 15th minute after Alyssa Doyle gave the Hunters a 2-0 lead in the opening 13:15 of the game.
Hermantown 3, Hibbing 0
Callie Showalter finished with a goal and an assist for the Hawks, securing both points in the second half.
Nataleh Rapp was the beneficiary of Showalter's assist to make it 3-0. Rylee Gilbertson scored for Hermantown in the game's 25th minute.
Cloquet-Carlton 3, Bemidji 0
Macava Smith and Katie Turner each had a goal and an assist in the first half for Cloquet, and Alexa Snesrud added another goal in the opening minute of the second.
VOLLEYBALL
Chisholm 3, Virginia 2
Olivia Hutchings had 20 kills and Lola Huhta added 19 kills as the host Bluestreaks won the five-set thriller 25-13, 23-25, 25-21, 23-25, 17-15.
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Huhta also had 18 digs. Ava Silvestrini added 22 digs and Jordan Temple paced the offense with 50 set assists while leading the defense with 26 digs.
Maya Carlson had 14 kills and 18 digs to lead the Blue Devils.
Scoreboard
Thursday’s Results
Cross Country
Dan Conway Classic
At Nemadji Golf Course
Boys
Teams
1. Esko, 47; 2. Northwestern, 61; 3. Cloquet, 78; 4. Duluth Denfeld, 102; 5. Superior, 132; 6. Moose Lake-Willow River, 159; 7. Ashland, 197; 8. Hayward, 217; 9. Hermantown, 228; 10. Carlton-Wrenshall, 263; 11. Lakeview Christian Academy, 292.
Girls
Teams
1. Northwestern, 65; 2. Moose Lake-Willow River/Barnum, 71; 3. Cloquet, 80; 4. Esko, 128; 5. Duluth Marshall, 134; 6. Superior, 136; 7. Hayward, 190; 8. Carlton-Wrenshall, 198; 9. Duluth Denfeld, 202; 10. Hermantown, 219.
GNK Titan Invitational
At Eagle Ridge Golf Course, Coleraine
Boys
Teams
1. Brainerd, 41; 2. Rock Ridge, 85; 3. Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin, 96; 4. Proctor, 120; 5. Grand Rapids, 125; 6. South Ridge, 156; 7. Ely, 172; 8. Hibbing, 219; 9. Mountain Iron-Buhl, 230; 10. Mesabi East, 230; 11. Chisolm, 343.
Girls
Teams
1. Brainerd, 65; 2. Proctor, 72; 3. Hibbing, 101; 4. South Ridge, 133; 5. Greenway/Nashwauk-Keewatin, 171; 6. Rock Ridge, 180; 7. Grand Rapids, 181; 8. Mountain Iron-Buhl, 188; 9. Ely, 189; 10. Mesabi East, 190; 11. Hill City, 321.
Boys Soccer
Cloquet-Esko-Carlton 3, Hermantown 0
Duluth Denfeld 5, Grand Rapids 1
Duluth Marshall 5, Mesabi East 2
Girls Soccer
Hermantown 3, Hibbing 0
Cloquet 3, Bemidji 0
Proctor 3, Duluth Denfeld 2
Girls Swimming
Mesabi East 52, Northeast Range 40
Girls Tennis
Hibbing 6, Duluth Denfeld 1
Duluth Marshall 4, Grand Rapids 3
Volleyball
Ashland 3, Northwestern 0
Chisholm 3, Virginia 2
Cromwell-Wright 3, Wrenshall 1
Ely 3, Cherry 0
Greenway 3, Hibbing 0
Mesabi East 3, North Woods 0
Northeast Range 3, Mountain Iron-Buhl 0
South Ridge 3, Moose Lake Willow River 0
Carlton 3, McGregor 0
Fond du Lac Ojibwe 3, Lakeview Christian 2
