Ellsworth’s boys cross country team competed at State in Wisconsin Rapids on Saturday, Nov. 1. While they finished 16th of 16 as a team in Division 2, the team worked around an injury and gained some vital experience as all but one runner can return to the team next year. Regardless, it was a special season for the team that qualified for State for the first time since 1992.

Top runner Adolfo Mendez has been dealing with an injury, and the determination was made to preserve his health to avoid making the injury more severe. Mendez finished sixth at the Sectionals meet to help get the Ellsworth boys into a top two spot to qualify for State.

“We didn’t quite have the race we were hoping for, but we’re really proud of how the team handled it,” Head Coach Marcie Jahnke said. “Definitely impacted the lineup, but the rest of the kids, they gave what they had.”

Ellsworth’s placements were as follows: senior Ben Baker took 87th followed by juniors Milan Johnson in 127th, Parker Lampman in 129th, Jacob Michels in 136th, Trae Christiansen in 150th and Brock Fairchild rounding out the lineup, but did not finish. Ellsworth’s strength all year has been the ability for any runner to step up in any given race, and Baker was the leader who brought that culture together.

“Ben has been with us all four years. A lot of our runners are new to cross country, but Ben had been with us from the very beginning,” Jahnke said. “Ben has always just led in the way that he brings himself to practice every day. He puts all of himself into every workout. He leads by example.”

Jahnke said Baker has grown exponentially as a runner over his four years, and it was great to see him lead the team in his final race. Baker is weighing options to continue running in college, but regardless, his impact on the returning runners has been made.

Looking ahead, making State as a team can be a major factor as they seek to return in 2026, as Baker was the lone senior runner at State.

“We did get to spend a lot of time just hanging out and being together. Building up that camaraderie in the team, I think, is very important,” Jahnke said. “When they run together, they run for each other as much as they run for themselves.”

State can be an intimidating meet, so to know what they are up against is a game changer.

Prescott junior Kyra Dix improved on an already impressive 18th place finish at 2024 State, taking seventh in the Division 2 girls race with an 18:52 time. Dix won three races individually on the year and has been a key piece to Prescott’s recent cross country surge.

For River Falls, senior Olive Halvorson finished well in 29th of 190 runners in the Division 1 girls race. Halvorson finished with a 19:03, cementing a legacy of one of River Falls’ most decorated racers. Junior Owen Koepke took 105th of 190 runners in the boys race. With a time of 17:14, Koepke took full advantage in his first trip to the State race.