University of Minnesota Athletics
2015 Griak Invitational Race Recaps
9/26/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Sept. 26, 2015
Roy Griak Invitational Results Central | Men's Gold Recap | Women's Gold Recap
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota is hosting the 30th annual running of the Roy Griak Invitational as part of homecoming festivities at Les Bolstad Golf Course in Falcon Heights, Minn., today. One of the largest meets in the country, the Griak includes six collegiate races and four high school races.
Suzy Wilson Women's Maroon III Recap
Wellesley edged St. Olaf, 50-51, for the Suzy Wilson Women's Maroon III team title to kick off the 2015 Roy Griak Invitational Saturday morning. The Blue placed three runners in the top nine, including runner-up Mary Keenan in 23:24.8. St. Olaf also placed three runners in the top nine, including the third and fourth place finishers. Behind Wellesley and St. Olaf, St. Thomas, Macalester and Concordia-Moorhead rounded out the top five teams.
Macalester's Kimber Meyer claimed the individual title, clocking in at 22:57.8. "I spent more time working on strength training, which really paid off today," Meyer said.
Women's Maroon II Competition
Minnesota Duluth successfully defended its team title from a year ago, earning back-to-back Women's Maroon II titles for the second time in the last seven years (2009, 2010, 2014, 2015). The Bulldogs scored 83 points to defeat second-place team Northern Michigan (93 points) with three top-10 finishes led by Breanna Colbenson's third-place finish.
Alexis Zeis of the University of Mary won the individual crown in 22:13.6 ahead of UW-Parkside's Moriah Palmer (22:26.2). "After last year, I felt really confident going into today and wanted to work hard," Palmer said.
Men's Maroon III Competition
UW-Oshkosh claimed the Men's Maroon III team title with 28 points as all five scoring runners finished in the top 10. After winning the individual title a year ago, the Titans' Jordan Carpenter was the overall runner-up in 26:48.8, followed by Charlend Howard, Wal Khat, Joe Zack, and Roberto Lara in third, fifth, eighth, and 10th, respectively. UW-Oshkosh joins UW-La Crosse as the only men's Division III teams to win multiple Maroon III titles. Behind UW-Oshkosh, Carthage (104 points), Bethel (106), and Milwaukee School of Engineering (107) fought a tight battle for second.
Bethel senior Matt Berens was the individual champion to lead the Royals to their third-place team finish. Berens covered Les Bolstad's 8K course in 26:30.0. "The weather was a lot better today than two years ago. To be honest it felt pretty rough today. My legs are pretty beat up so I was glad to be able to hold on all the way through," Berens said.
Men's Maroon II Competition
Black Hills State earned both the team and individual titles in the Men's Maroon II race as Alec Baldwin won the individual crown in 25:28, and the Yellow Jackets took the team title with 93 points ahead of runner-up and 2014 Men's Maroon II champion UW-Parkside (96 points) and Augustana (98 points). Manitoba's Abduselam Yussuf was the individual runner-up behind Baldwin in 25:42.
"I was getting the legs moving and trying to push the envelope while staying smart," Baldwin said of his race strategy. The senior led the Yellow Jackets to their first-ever Griak team title. Black Hills State's second runner also earned a top-10 finish as Jonah Theisen was ninth in 26:23.
Larry Zirgibel H.S. Boys Gold Competition
Dowling Catholic won the Larry Zirgibel High School Boys Gold Race with 104 points, finishing ahead of team runner-up Edina (138 points) and Wayzata (142 points). Ryan Schweizer led Dowling Catholic in 10th place in 16:37.
East High's Garek Bielaczyc won the individual title in 15:36.01. He finished over 15 seconds ahead of runner-up Sam Clausnitzer of Bismarck (15:52.03). In total, 473 runners competed in the Larry Zigibel High School 5K Race.
Gary Wilson Girls H.S. Gold Competition
Naperville North scored 77 points to win the Gary Wilson Girls High School Gold 5K, led by individual runner-up Judy Pendergast in 18:16.5. Edina was the team runner-up with 142 points, followed by Lake Braddock (Va.) with 202 points in third and Marshall with 203 points in fourth. Urbandale (Iowa) rounded out the top five teams with 214 points.
Cotter seventh grader Grace Ping won the individual crown in 18:12.5. "I just wanted to come in today and work hard for the rest of my team," Ping said.
Boys H.S. Maroon Competition
Notre Dame Academy won the Boys High School Maroon team titled with five scoring runners in the top 35 and 125 points overall. 2014 champion Lakeville North was the team runner-up with 160 points, followed by Sioux Falls Washington (239 points) in third overall in the 40-team 5K race.
St. Paul Como Park junior Innocent Murwarashyaka narrowly edged Spooner senior Daniel Pederson for the individual title. Murwarashyaka finished in 16:13, just one second ahead of Pederson in 16:14. Kevin Koski, a senior from Chequamegon, finished third in 16:34.
"You know when you start strong you put yourself in a good position in the end," Murwarashyaka said,.
Girls H.S. Maroon Competition
Henry Sibley won the Girls High School Maroon team title with 196 points in the final race of the 30th annual Roy Griak Invitational. Three-time defending team champion Notre Dame Academy finished second with 216 points, and West Bend West was third with 295 points.
Benilde-St. Margaret's senior Mae Fullerton won the individual title in 19:28, ahead of runner-up Tierney Wolfgram, a seventh-grader from Math & Science Academy (19:50). Rounding out the top three individuals was Mason Kalander of Holmen (Wis.) in 19:55.
"I'm focused on the rest of the season obviously. I want to make it to state and finish better than I have in the past," Fullerton said.
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