Hodag girls 2^nd, boys 4^th

STAR JOURNAL REPORT

Rhinelander High School junior Alayna Franson finished more than 25 seconds ahead of her nearest competitor Thursday when she led the Hodag girls cross country team to place runner-up at the Three Lakes Invitational.

“Alayna had a big first-place finish and she won it running away from the field,” said RHS head coach M.J. Laggis. “She had a really solid race and I was pumped for her to win it.”

Franson’s top finish of 20 minutes, 24.2 seconds, was one of only two times to come in under 21 minutes with Peshtigo senior Mariah McDonough ending up runner-up in 20:50.

The Hodags’ Anna Sturzl also finished in the top 10 by placing fifth in 21:46. RHS’s three other runners whose finishes counted toward the team total included: Gracie Quinn (11^th in 23:51.2), Carmen Incha (14^th in 24:22.2) and Payton Hartman (15^th in 24:25.3).

Peshtigo topped the girls team standings at 41, followed by the Hodags (43), Northland Pines (92), Crandon (102), Three Lakes (112) and Lakeland (125) rounding out the field of six teams with at least five finishers to score in the standings.

RHS BOYS 4^TH

In the boys competition, Northland Pines topped the team standings at 44, followed by Peshtigo (57), Crandon (64), the Hodags (68), Lakeland (149), Laona-Wabeno (157) and Pembine (181) as the seven teams with at least five finishers.

Peshtigo sophomore Cole Trimberger was the top individual finisher in 17:37.7.

The Hodag boys had three top-10 finishers led by sophomore Bridger Flory placing seventh in 18:42.1.

“Behind him we have a nice group of three that are continuing to drop time with Marcus Johnson, Tyler Kolasa and Robert Ritchie,” Laggis said. “They are working hard and I believe they will have the payoff of running their best at the end of the season.”

Johnson ended up ninth in 18:48 with Kolasa placing 10^th in 18:49.5 and Ritchie coming in 20^th in 20:21.6. Anthony Gaudioso ended up 25^th in 20:58.2 as RHS’s fifth finisher.

The Hodags’ next meet is this week Thursday at Waupaca.

“It will be great to get a sneak preview of the course we will run at sectionals,” Laggis said.