We’re really excited to take the next stop to be competitive in both the conference and in the section.”

Co-head coach Jesse Nelson

Park cross country seems to be poised for another standout season, with two elite runners headlining the boys' team and 13 runners ready to race on the girls' squad.

Wolfpack boys have top talent

Park junior Henry Joa and graduated senior Gavin Staufer both ran in the state cross country meet last season. Senior Eli Firchau just missed the cut but both Joa and Firchau should be in the state field this fall.

“We’re really excited about the prospects,” said co-head coach Jesse Nelson. “I think we took a huge step last year with both the boys and the girls' teams of just being competitive. We won a couple of meets last year. Being realistically in the mix for qualifying for the state meet. The sections have been realigned a little bit. We lose Jefferson which was a great team in our section and that kind of opens up the door for us to really be in mix for the top two and earn a trip to the state meet. Based on that, expectations are high to build on what we got through last year.

“We’re really excited to take the next stop to be competitive in both the conference and in the section,” Nelson added.

Joa was a close fourth in the 2024 Section 3AAA cross country meet at Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley and Stauffer was 11th. Firchau just missed a repeat trip to state, finishing 13th overall.

Joa’s time in the section meet was 15:43.3, some 18 seconds better than his previous best. Firchau finished in 15:59.3, matching his best time. Runners from the top two teams and then the next six fastest individuals advanced to state.

Joa then finished 76th at state last fall in a field of 162 runners, with a time of 16:43.4.

“For myself I want to go like 15:20s, 1530s for this year,” said Joa. “Just prepping for my senior year. And for my team I really want us to make state as a team.”

Both Joa and Firchau are on the Park boys’ all-tie best performances list. Joa moved into third overall (15:43) and is two seconds back on the second-fastest time for the 5K. Firchau is sixth on the best all-time list (15:59).

“I would really like personally to be top five to top 10 in the state, I think it’s doable,” said Firchau. “Even after last year, struggling, not making the state meet. I really do think it's possible. I would really like to break the school record. I think it’s definitely in my wheelhouse to do it. Team wise I really think our boys' team has a shot at making state.”

Four of the top seven boys' runners from last year’s team are returning.

In addition to Firchau and Joa, also back from last season’s section meet are Ben Paulsen (34 -– 17:25.0), ninth grader Will Mann was 41st -- 17:44.1), junior Liam Fleming (44th -- 17:53.7) and senior Samuel Craig (58th -- 18:38.0). One new runner who should make his mark this season is Goodness Agunbiade.

Park’s boys team finished fourth officially at sections last fall but tied Eagan for third in the team race, both with 103 points.

Park girls ready to move up

Senior Kalin Randrup led Park’s girls in the section meet a year ago, finishing 29th with a personal best time of 21:43.6. Her time moved her to seventh on the all-time Park best list (21:43). Jana Hafiz ranks fourth on the all-time list (21:12).

In last season’s section meet Park’s Mya Albrecht was 36th (22:03.8), Hafiz 39th (22:19.7), Esme Edlund 41st (22:28.0), Allie Devine was 42nd (22:31.2), Hollen Thompson 47th (22:57.2) and Aria Waletzko 48th (23:03.7). All of Park’s runners, with the exception of Thompson, were underclassmen last fall.

Hafiz (fourth), Albrecht (12th), Edlund (14th) and Devine (15th) are all now on Park’s top 15 all-time best chart.

Park has 13 runners on the girls' team, the same as last season. Park’s girls finished seventh at section with 187, one point out of sixth.

Hafiz (fourth), Albrecht (12th), Edlund (14th) and Devine (15th) are all now on Park’s top 15 all-time best chart.

“I think on the course we’re going to be better than we were last year,” said co-head coach Brad Narveson. “Some of our older girls, senior Kalin Randrup and a couple of our juniors, Allie Devine and Jana Hafiz, took on more of a leadership role this summer. And that’s really helping. The first couple of days you could tell that their summer running has paid off. Hoping, if we can do our job as coaches, that they’ll improve on the course as well this year from last year.”

Park’s girls finished seventh at section last season with 187 points, one point out of sixth.

Park opens the season Friday in the Cretin-Derham Hall Invite at Lake Elmo Park Reserve. The one and only home meet of the season is the following week, when Park hosts the Grey Cloud Invitational on Thursday, Aug. 28, with a 5 p.m. start for the boys and the girls running at 5:45 p.m.

Friday 8/22 CDH Invite 4:30 p.m. Lake Elmo Park Reserve

Thursday 8/28 Grey Cloud Invite 5 p.m. CGMS/Grey Cloud Elementary

Thursday 9/4 Dewey Minnaert Invite 4 p.m. St. Croix Bluffs

Saturday 9/20 Osceola Invite 10 a.m. Osceola High School Osceola, WI

Thursday 9/25 Red Wing Invite 4 p.m. Red Wing High School

Saturday 10/4 Simley Invite 9:30 a.m. Simley High School

Tuesday 10/14 SEC Championships 3:30 p.m. Tanners Brook Golf Course Forest Lake

Thursday 10/23 Section 3AAA TBD Valleywood Golf Course, Apple Valley

Saturday 11/1 State Meet TBD Les Bolstad Golf Course, Minneapolis