Cross Country: Alexandria girls win team title at Run for Your Melon Meet – Alexandria Echo Press

BAXTER – The Alexandria Cardinals had a stellar performance in their 26th year competing in the Run for Your Melon meet at Forestview Middle School in Baxter on Friday, August 30th. The Alexandria girls team started their season by winning the Run for Your Melon team title.

“The weather was as perfect as the fruit prize selection – cool, crisp and ripe for a great run,” Alexandria head coach Travis Hochhalter said. “This course and this day were beautiful. It was a great setting on a very green pitch that ran past their football practice pitches along with some woodland trails. There was a great turnout of fans and everyone seemed to be enjoying the day. I would have to say that our fans in Alexandria were amazing. We had great running weather and our runners ran well. It was a good start to the season.”

The Alexandria girls team won the meet title by winning a tiebreaker with Moorhead.

Kasey Soderholm led the way for Alexandria’s girls team, placing fourth overall (20:30.4). Ava Dunnigan of Moorhead won the girls race (20:15.4), while Annelise Bair and Brooke Wenz of Brainerd finished second (20:24.4) and third (20:30.4).

Bobbi Nichols and Quinn Hills placed sixth (20:47.4) and seventh (20:58.5), respectively, for Alexandria.

Alexandria’s Mila Warzecha earned a top-15 finish, placing 14th (21:36.4).

Rounding out Alexandria’s finishes were Anna Korynta 17th (22:11.4), Johanna Kjolhaug 19th (22:17.4) and Evie Nei 18th (22:29.8).

Alexandria’s boys team placed fourth. Moorhead won the team meet, while Brainerd’s Ben Stadum earned medalist honors (16:52.9).

Kyle Jahner led the way for Alexandria’s boys team, placing eighth (18:00.9). Jakin Miller earned a top-20 finish, finishing 16th (18.29.9).

Matty Soderholm placed 24th (19:04.9), and Carson Baumgarner placed 26th (19:10.9).

Rounding out Alexandria’s finishes were Donovan Rousu in 29th (19:20.9), Tyler Jahner in 30th (19:21.1) and Keaton Dummer in 31st (19:26.9).

Alexandria competes at Detroit Lakes on Thursday, September 5 at 4:00 p.m

Kelly Humphrey / Brainerd Dispatch

Sam Stuve covers a variety of sports in the Douglas County area. He is also assigned to do some news.