"The month of December was full of championship racing both on the roads and the cross country course, including the Nike Cross Nationals meet for high school cross country runners and the USATF Marathon Championships, among many other races and meets. Minnesotan athletes finished off 2017 with a bang, highlighted by the Wayzata High School Girls Cross Country team placing 7th at Nike Cross Nationals and with 40-year-old Minnesotan Eric Loeffler running 2:17:34 at the California International Marathon to finish 25th in the USATF Marathon Championships - earning both Eric and the entire Wayzata Girls team the title of USATF Minnesota’s December Athletes of the Month.

The Wayzata Girls Cross Country Team ended their 2017 season with an impressive 7th place team finish at Nike Cross Nationals on December 2nd in Portland, Oregon, showing that they were truly one of the best teams in the country this fall, as well as giving them the title of USATF Minnesota’s Girls Athletes of the Month. This year’s team at Nike Cross Nationals consisted of:

·         Emma Atkinson—Sophomore (placed 37th in 18:35.0 for the 5k course)
·         Caroline Sassan—Sophomore (44th in 18:41.2)
·         Rhynn Paulsen—Sophomore (72nd in 19:05.7)
·         Emelia Arnone—Freshman (119th in 19:43.7)
·         Lauren McCollor—Freshman (143rd in 20:02.2)
·         Brooke Young—Senior (171st in 20:34.4)
·         Carmen Rottinghaus—Senior (173rd in 20:37.2)

The Wayzata Girls also captured this year’s Minnesota State High School Cross Country title for Class AA, their fourth title since 2012. They are coached by Dave Emmans, who was recently awarded the Minnesota State High School Coach of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, as well as assistant coach Addy Hallen. With five out of their top seven runners returning next season, they should have a strong team yet again in the fall of 2018."

Read the entire article by Maxwell Kuzara here.