Shady Leads Eskomos To State Cross Country Team Title

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Nov 3, 2012

Dwight Cadwell-NSO

Marisa Shady of Esko was the states cross country champion as a sophomore in 2010, last year Shady finished in third place overall, and this season Shady finished in fifth place but the tradeoff came as the Esko Eskomos are the 2012 state girls cross country champions. The Eskomos captured their second state title Saturday morning and the first since 1980.

Just a year ago it was the Lady Eskomos who packed up their cars at St. Olaf College when the race concluded as players on the Esko Volleyball team, they were playing the same night in Grand Rapids for a chance at the state tournament. This year there were no other pressures as the Eskomos capture first place having gone from a 5th place finish in 2010 to a 3rd place finish last year. The Eskomos will now add a championship trophy to their trophy case, which also includes the state title in 1980 and a runner up finish in 1979.

Shady, who ranked all season long as one of the state tops cross country runners saw the top spot go to Clare Flanagan on Blake as she captures the state championship. Emi Trost of Cannon Falls was second McKenzie Holt of St. Cloud Christian was third and Emily Mantor placed fourth overall ahead of Shady.

Shady led her Eskomos finishing in fifth while her teammates Kallyn Knutson finished second for the Eskomos in the team total column finishing in a time of 15:46. Erika Shady finished in a time of 16:02; followed by Karlie Kulas who was next with a time of 16:07; Molly Meysembourg was next with a time of 16:42 and Mackenzie Carlson finished with a time of 17:19.

The Lady Eskomos finished in third place a season ago behind St. Cloud Cathedral, and Annandale who was second. Annandale again finished in second place overall in the team standings and St. Cloud Cathedral didn’t qualify as a team for this season state cross country meet.

South Ridge Panthers Gracelynn Otis finished with a time of 15:41 overall as she finished in 51st place in the girls Class A race. Nicole Tekippe of Moose Lake-Willow River finished in a time of 15:46 as she was 61st overall in the girls Class A race which featured 175 runners.

Dwight Cadwell can be reached at dwight@northlandsportsonline.com