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Meister, Kobs earn top honor

Photo

Photo by Kyle Bursaw

Parker's Taran Kobs, who took second in the boy's race, is trailed by Craig's Ryan Fenrick at the final stretch of the course at Rockport Park in a meet between Parker, Craig and Beloit Memorial Tuesday night.

Photo

Photo by Kyle Bursaw

Janesville Craig's Tommy Meister (27) runs near the one-mile mark of the cross country course at Verona High School. Meister finished third overall with a time of 16:20, helping Craig take first overall at the Big Eight Conference meet.

Parity ruled in Big Eight Conference cross country this season.

Madison West is the only school to have more than one runner selected to the all-conference first team as three Regent girls earned that honor.

On the boys side, seven schools are represented on the first team, including Janesville Craig sophomore Tommy Meister and Janesville Parker junior Taran Kobs.

“I don’t think there’s any question that our conference is very competitive,” Craig High co-head coach Jessica Lawton said. “And I think the all-conference selections are a good representation of that. Even at the state level, we were probably the most competitive conference up there.

“It wasn’t that long ago that Madison La Follette’s boys were so strong that every one of their runners were named to the first team. That’s certainly not the case any longer.”

Meister had a breakout season for the Cougar boys. He finished in the top three at three invitationals and was 21st at the state meet to help lead the Cougars to a ninth-place finish in Division 1.

“Tommy ran very well for us this season and deserves the recognition,” Lawton said. “Hopefully, Tommy and the rest of the kids that are coming back can build off of this season.”

Kobs improved his overall times by more than a minute from a year ago and was rewarded with a first-team selection. He missed qualifying for the state meet by two seconds.

“Taran was asked to fill the shoes of Duncan Brose and did a great job for us in that regard,” Parker boys coach Dan Bouska said.

“In our conference, to be named to the first team is a big deal, and Taran worked hard to get that recognition.”

Four Cougar girls have been named to the second team. Senior Regina Griffith is joined by junior Rachel Gilmore, along with sophomores Stephanie Perleberg and Jessie Finnane.

Craig freshman Teryn Bordwell is honorable mention. The Cougars finished sixth in Division 1 at the WIAA state meet.

All-Big Eight cross country

BOYS

FIRST TEAM

Abdou Seye, sr., Madison La Follette; Gabe Heck, sr., Madison East; Tommy Meister, soph., Janesville Craig; Sam Hacker, jr., Madison West; Jordan Carlson, jr., Madison Memorial; Dan LaCroix, jr., Verona; Taran Kobs, jr., Janesville Parker.

SECOND TEAM

Benji Hansen, sr., Madison Memorial; Nick Hensen, sr., Middleton; Eric Gudgeon, sr., Janesville Craig; Matt Bordwell, sr., Janesville Craig; Aaron Heiliger, sr., Madison Memorial; Charlie Thompson, jr., Madison West; Eric Biggers, sr., Verona.

HONORABLE MENTION

Chandler Diffee, fr., Madison La Follette; Tyler Hart, sr., Sun Prairie.

GIRLS

FIRST TEAM

Elizabeth Berkholtz, sr., Sun Prairie; Nichole Bathe, fr., Verona; Sarah Baltisberger, sr., Madison La Follette; Marika Rosenblum, sr., Madison West; Claire Brickson, sr., Madison East; Bailey Flanigan, soph., Madison West; Olivia Pratt, soph., Madison West.

SECOND TEAM

Darcy Dean, fr., Middleton; Sara Monson, jr., Madison La Follette; Regina Griffith, sr., Janesville Craig; Rachel Gilmore, jr., Janesville Craig; Josey Stock, fr., Sun Prairie; Jessie Finnane, soph., Janesville Craig; Stephanie Perleberg, soph., Janesville Craig.

HONORABLE MENTION

Teryn Bordwell, fr., Janesville Craig; Nicole Kollman, jr., Verona.