Stauffer returns to lead cross country team

Posted 11/2/22

Park High sophomore Gavin Stauffer returned from a five-week layoff to lead the Park High Wolfpack in the Section 3AA championships Thursday at Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley. Stauffer shock …

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Stauffer returns to lead cross country team

Posted

Park High sophomore Gavin Stauffer returned from a five-week layoff to lead the Park High Wolfpack in the Section 3AA championships Thursday at Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley.

Stauffer shock off the dust and finished 26th in a time of 17:24.90.

Park senior Nicholas McDonald was 32nd in 17:45.90. Senior Tyler Krogman of the Wolfpack finished 35th in 17:53.50. Other Park finishers were senior Henry Schluetter, 37th in 18:00; senior Bronson Stachowski, 41st in 18:12.70 and sophomore Brandon Carver, 52nd in 18:37.90.

“The boys ran well today,” said Park head coach Brad Narveson. “They competed hard. We, as coaches, are very proud of their effort.

It was Stauffer’s first race since Sept. 17 at Osceola where he finished seventh in 17:56. For two weeks before that he had been having ankle problems. “Running at St. Croix did not help, it made it worse,” Stauffer said. When I decided to run at Osceola my ankle was already hurting but I wanted to try. And that’s when I couldn’t run anymore. It hurt way too much.”

Stauffer’s ankle took a turn for the better this week and he was game to give the section race a go.

“This Monday I started feeling better,” said the Park runner. “It was just luck, I think. I’m happy.”

“Gavin had been injured this year and was cleared to start running again on the 17th and had a good, pain free, week of practice. He raced well for not having run for five weeks,” said Narveson.

“Tyler Krogman really stepped up today and had a great race,” Narveson continued. “He set a personal best in his final race of his high school career. What a great way to go out. Henry Schluetter also had a personal best today. He was right at 18:00. He was extremely happy to PR but was hoping to be a tenth of a second faster so he could say he was under 18:00. But he should be very proud of himself for the way he raced today and all year.

“We had a bunch of seniors and we’re going to miss their leadership, but we have a good core of young runners who will continue to build our program,” Narveson added.

Park finished eighth in the team race. Rosemount’s runners finished 2-3-4-5-6 to easily win the team title with 20 points. Bloomington Jefferson was second with 48, followed by: 3, East Ridge, 96; 4, Burnsville, 127; 5, Eagan, 149; 6, Eastview, 164; 7, Apple Valley, 166; 8, Park, 171; 9, Hastings, 242.

Adam Lueth of Bloomington Jefferson won the individual race in a time of 15:31.60.


Park sophomore Gavin Stauffer rounds one of the final turns in the course and heads for the finish line. Stauffer finished 26th in 17:24.90. Photo by John Molene

Tyler Krogman of the Wolfpack set a personal record in his final race as a senior. Photo by John Molene